FAMOUS  ADVENTURES  AND   PEISON 
ESCAPES   OF   THE   CIVIL   WAR 


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«       \   ,\  %«n  A 


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FAMOUS  ADVENTURES 
AND  PRISON  ESCAPES 
OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR 


NEW  YORK 

THE  CENTURY  CO. 

1911 


Copyright,  1885,  1888,  1889,  1890,  1891,  1893,  by 
THE  CENTURA  Co. 


THE  DEVINNE  PRESS. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

WAR  DIARY  OF  A  UNION  WOMAN  IN  THE  SOUTH 1 

THE  LOCOMOTIVE  CHASE  IN  GEORGIA 83 

MOSBY'S  " PARTIZAN  RANGERS" 102 

A  ROMANCE  OF  MORGAN'S  ROUGH-RIDERS 116 

COLONEL  ROSE'S  TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PRISON 184 

A  HARD  ROAD  TO  TRAVEL  OUT  OF  DIXIE 243 

ESCAPE  OF  GENERAL  BRECKINRIDGE  .                                        .  298 


242333 


ILLUSTEATIONS 

PAGE 

QUESTIONING  A  PRISONER Frontispiece 

THE  LOCOMOTIVE  CHASE 85 

GENERAL  JOHN  H.  MORGAN 117 

MAP  OF  THE  MORGAN  RAID 118 

THE  FARMER  FROM  CALFKILLER  CREEK 123 

GENERAL  DUKE  TESTS  THE  PIES 125 

HOSPITALITIES  OF  THE  FARM 131 

LOOKING  FOR  THE  FOOTPRINTS  OF  THE  VAN 137 

CORRIDOR  AND  CELLS  IN  THE  OHIO  STATE  PENITENTIARY  — 

CAPTAIN  HINES'S  CELL 161 

EXTERIOR  OF  THE  PRISON—  EXIT  FROM  TUNNEL 163 

WITHIN  THE  WOODEN  GATE 167 

OVER  THE  PRISON  WALL 171 

"HURRY  UP,  MAJOR!" 175 

CAPTAIN  HINES  OBJECTS 178 

COLONEL  THOMAS  E.  ROSE 185 

A  CORNER  OF  LIBBY  PRISON 187 

LIBBY  PRISON  IN  1865 189 

MAJOR  A.  G.  HAMILTON 191 

LIBBY  PRISON  IN  1884 197 

LIBERTY  ! 223 

FIGHTING  THE  RATS 230 

SECTION  OF  INTERIOR  OF  LIBBY  PRISON  AND  TUNNEL 233 


x  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

GROUND-PLAN  OF  LIBBY  PRISON  AND  SURROUNDINGS 235 

LIEUTENANTS  E.  E.  SILL  AND  A.  T.  LAMSON 255 

WE  ARRIVE  AT  HEADEN'S 263 

THE  ESCAPE  OF  HEADEN 271 

GREENVILLE  JAIL 277 

PINK  BISHOP  AT  THE  STILL 283 

ARRIVAL  HOME  OF  THE  BAPTIST  MINISTER 285 

SURPRISED  AT  MRS.  KITCHEN'S 291 

THE  MEETING  WITH  THE  SECOND  OHIO  HEAVY  ARTILLERY..  .  295 

SAND  AS  A  DEFENSE  AGAINST  MOSQUITOS 307 

SEARCHING  FOR  TURTLES'  EGGS 310 

THROUGH  A  SHALLOW  LAGOON 313 

EXCHANGING  THE  BOAT  FOR  THE  SLOOP 315 

OVER  A  CORAL-REEF 325 

A  ROUGH  NIGHT  IN  THE  GULF  STREAM..  .  331 


FAMOUS  ADVENTURES  AND   PRISON 
ESCAPES   OF   THE   CIVIL   WAR 


FAMOUS  ADVENTURES  AND   PEISON 
ESCAPES  OF  THE   CIVIL  WAR 


WAR  DIARY  OF  A  UNION  WOMAN  IN  THE  SOUTH 

EDITED   BY   G.  W.   CABLE 

THE  following  diary  was  originally  written  in  lead- 
pencil  and  in  a  book  the  leaves  of  which  were  too  soft 
to  take  ink  legibly.  I  have  it  direct  from  the  hands  of 
its  writer,  a  lady  whom  I  have  had  the  honor  to  know 
for  nearly  thirty  years.  For  good  reasons  the  author's 
name  is  omitted,  and  the  initials  of  people  and  the 
names  of  places  are  sometimes  fictitiously  given. 
Many  of  the  persons  mentioned  were  my  own  acquain 
tances  and  friends.  When,  some  twenty  years  after 
ward,  she  first  resolved  to  publish  it,  she  brought 
me  a  clear,  complete  copy  in  ink.  It  had  cost  much 
trouble,  she  said;  for  much  of  the  pencil  writing  had 
been  made  under  such  disadvantages  and  was  so  faint 
that  at  times  she  could  decipher  it  only  under  direct 
sunlight.  She  had  succeeded,  however,  in  making  a 
copy,  verbatim  except  for  occasional  improvement  in 
the  grammatical  form  of  a  sentence,  or  now  and  then 

the  omission,  for  brevity's  sake,  of  something  unessen- 

i  i 


2       '  i  ^VENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAB 

tiki:  :' Tile'- naiTr at ive  has  since  been  severely  abridged 
to  bring  it  within  magazine  limits. 

In  reading  this  diary  one  is  much  charmed  with  its 
constant  understatement  of  romantic  and  perilous  in 
cidents  and  conditions.  But  the  original  penciled 
pages  show  that,  even  in  copying,  the  strong  bent  of 
the  writer  to  be  brief  has  often  led  to  the  exclusion  of 
facts  that  enhance  the  interest  of  exciting  situations, 
and  sometimes  the  omission  robs  her  own  heroism  of 
due  emphasis.  I  have  restored  one  example  of  this  in 
a  foot-note  following  the  perilous  voyage  down  the 
Mississippi.  Gr.  W.  CABLE. 


SECESSION 

New  Orleans,  Dec.  1,  1860. — I  understand  it  now. 
Keeping  journals  is  for  those  who  cannot,  or  dare  not, 
speak  out.  So  I  shall  set  up  a  journal,  being  only  a 
rather  lonely  young  girl  in  a  very  small  and  hated  mi 
nority.  On  my  return  here  in  November,  after  a  foreign 
voyage  and  absence  of  many  months,  I  found  myself 
behind  in  knowledge  of  the  political  conflict,  but  heard 
the  dread  sounds  of  disunion  and  war  muttered  in 
threatening  tones.  Surely  no  native-born  woman  loves 
her  country  better  than  I  love  America.  The  blood  of 
one  of  its  Eevolutionary  patriots  flows  in  my  veins, 
and  it  is  the  Union  for  which  he  pledged  his  "life, 
fortune,  and  sacred  honor"  that  I  love,  not  any  divided 
or  special  section  of  it.  So  I  have  been  reading  atten- 


WAR   DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH          3 

tively  and  seeking  light  from  foreigners  and  natives 
on  all  questions  at  issue.  Living  from  birth  in  slave 
countries,  both  foreign  and  American,  and  passing 
through  one  slave  insurrection  in  early  childhood,  the 
saddest  and  also  the  pleasantest  features  of  slavery 
have  been  familiar.  If  the  South  goes  to  war  for 
slavery,  slavery  is  doomed  in  this  country.  To  say  so 
is  like  opposing  one  drop  to  a  roaring  torrent. 

Sunday,  Dec.  — ,  1860. — In  this  season  for  peace  I  had 
hoped  for  a  lull  in  the  excitement,  yet  this  day  has  been 
full  of  bitterness.  "  Come,  G.,"  said  Mrs. at  break 
fast,  "  leave  your  church  for  to-day  and  come  with  us 

to  hear  Dr. on  the  situation.  He  will  convince 

you."  "It  is  good  to  be  convinced,"  I  said;  "I  will 
go."  The  church  was  crowded  to  suffocation  with  the 
elite  of  New  Orleans.  The  preacher's  text  was,  "  Shall 
we  have  fellowship  with  the  stool  of  iniquity  which 
frameth  mischief  as  a  law  1 "  .  .  .  The  sermon  was  over 
at  last,  and  then  followed  a  prayer.  .  .  .  Forever  blessed 
be  the  fathers  of  the  Episcopal  Church  for  giving  us 
a  fixed  liturgy !  When  we  met  at  dinner  Mrs.  F.  ex 
claimed,  "Now,  G.,  you  heard  him  prove  from  the 
Bible  that  slavery  is  right  and  that  therefore  secession 
is.  Were  you  not  convinced  1 "  I  said,  "  I  was  so  busy 
thinking  how  completely  it  proved  too  that  Brigham 
Young  is  right  about  polygamy  that  it  quite  weakened 
the  force  of  the  argument  for  me."  This  raised  a  laugh, 
and  covered  my  retreat. 

Jan.  26,  1861. — The  solemn  boom  of  cannon  to-day 
announced  that  the  convention  have  passed  the  ordi 
nance  of  secession.  We  must  take  a  reef  in  our 
patriotism  and  narrow  it  down  to  State  limits.  Mine 


4  ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

still  sticks  out  all  around  the  borders  of  the  State.  It 
will  be  bad  if  New  Orleans  should  secede  from  Loui 
siana  and  set  up  for  herself.  Then  indeed  I  would  be 
"cabined,  cribbed,  confined."  The  faces  in  the  house 
are  jubilant  to-day.  Why  is  it  so  easy  for  them  and 
not  for  me  to  "ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new"?  I 
am  out  of  place. 

Jan.  28,  Monday. —  Sunday  has  now  got  to  be  a  day 
of  special  excitement.  The  gentlemen  save  all  the 
sensational  papers  to  regale  us  with  at  the  late  Sunday 
breakfast.  Eob  opened  the  battle  yesterday  morning 
by  saying  to  me  in  his  most  aggressive  manner,  "  GK,  I 
believe  these  are  your  sentiments  " ;  and  then  he  read 
aloud  an  article  from  the  "Journal  des  Debats"  ex 
pressing  in  rather  contemptuous  terms  the  fact  that 
France  will  follow  the  policy  of  non-intervention. 
When  I  answered,  "Well,  what  do  you  expect?  This 
is  not  their  quarrel,"  he  raved  at  me,  ending  by  a 
declaration  that  he  would  willingly  pay  my  passage  to 
foreign  parts  if  I  would  like  to  go.  "Eob,"  said  his 
father,  "keep  cool;  don't  let  that  threat  excite  you. 
Cotton  is  king.  Just  wait  till  they  feel  the  pinch  a 
little;  their  tone  will  change."  I  went  to  Trinity 
Church.  Some  Union  people  who  are  not  Episco 
palians  go  there  now  because  the  pastor  has  not  so 
much  chance  to  rail  at  the  Lord  when  things  are  not 
going  to  suit.  But  yesterday  was  a  marked  Sunday. 
The  usual  prayer  for  the  President  and  Congress  was 
changed  to  the  "governor  and  people  of  this  com 
monwealth  and  their  representatives  in  convention 
assembled." 

The  city  was  very  lively  and  noisy  this  evening  with 


WAE   DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH          5 

rockets  and  lights  in  honor  of  secession.  Mrs.  F.,  in 
common  with  the  neighbors,  illuminated.  We  walked 
out  to  see  the  houses  of  others  gleaming  amid  the  dark 
shrubbery  like  a  fairy  scene.  The  perfect  stillness 
added  to  the  effect,  while  the  moon  rose  slowly  with 
calm  splendor.  We  hastened  home  to  dress  for  a 
soiree,  but  on  the  stairs  Edith  said,  "G.,  first  come  and 
help  me  dress  Phoebe  and  Chloe  [the  negro  servants]. 
There  is  a  ball  to-night  in  aristocratic  colored  society. 
This  is  Chloe's  first  introduction  to  New  Orleans  circles, 
and  Henry  Judson,  Phoebe's  husband,  gave  five  dollars 
for  a  ticket  for  her."  Chloe  is  a  recent  purchase  from 
Georgia.  We  superintended  their  very  stylish  toilets, 
and  Edith  said,  "G.,  run  into  your  room,  please,  and 
write  a  pass  for  Henry.  Put  Mr.  D.'s  name  to  it." 
"Why,  Henry  is  free,"  I  said.  "That  makes  no  differ 
ence;  all  colored  people  must  have  a  pass  if  out  late. 
They  choose  a  master  for  protection,  and  always  carry 
his  pass.  Henry  chose  Mr.  D.,  but  he  >s  lost  the  pass 
he  had." 


ii 

THE  VOLUNTEERS — FOET  SUMTEE 

Feb.  24, 1861.— The  toil  of  the  week  is  ended.  Nearly 
a  month  has  passed  since  I  wrote  here.  Events  have 
crowded  upon  one  another.  On  the  4th  the  cannon 
boomed  in  honor  of  Jefferson  Da  vis's  election,  and  day 
before  yesterday  Washington's  birthday  was  made  the 
occasion  of  another  grand  display  and  illumination,  in 
honor  of  the  birth  of  a  new  nation  and  the  breaking 


6  ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

of  that  Union  which  he  labored  to  cement.  We  drove 
to  the  race-course  to  see  the  review  of  troops.  A  flag 
was  presented  to  the  Washington  Artillery  by  ladies. 
Senator  Judah  Benjamin  made  an  impassioned  speech. 
The  banner  was  orange  satin  on  one  side,  crimson  silk 
on  the  other,  the  pelican  and  brood  embroidered  in 
pale  green  and  gold.  Silver  crossed  cannon  surmounted 
it,  orange-colored  fringe  surrounded  it,  and  crimson 
tassels  drooped  from  it.  It  was  a  brilliant,  unreal 
scene;  with  military  bands  clashing  triumphant  mu 
sic,  elegant  vehicles,  high-stepping  horses,  and  lovely 
women  richly  appareled. 

Wedding-cards  have  been  pouring  in  till  the  conta 
gion  has  reached  us ;  Edith  will  be  married  next  Thurs 
day.  The  wedding-dress  is  being  fashioned,  and  the 
bridesmaids  and  groomsmen  have  arrived.  Edith  has 
requested  me  to  be  special  mistress  of  ceremonies  on 
Thursday  evening,  and  I  have  told  this  terrible  little 
rebel,  who  talks  nothing  but  blood  and  thunder,  yet 
faints  at  the  sight  of  a  worm,  that  if  I  fill  that  office 
no  one  shall  mention  war  or  politics  during  the  whole 
evening,  on  pain  of  expulsion. 

March  10,  1861. — The  excitement  in  this  house  has 
risen  to  fever-heat  during  the  past  week.  The  four 
gentlemen  have  each  a  different  plan  for  saving  the 
country,  and  now  that  the  bridal  bouquets  have  faded, 
the  three  ladies  have  again  turned  to  public  affairs; 
Lincoln's  inauguration  and  the  story  of  the  disguise 
in  which  he  traveled  to  Washington  is  a  never-ending 
source  of  gossip.  The  family  board  being  the  common 
forum,  each  gentleman  as  he  appears  first  unloads  his 
pockets  of  papers  from  all  the  Southern  States,  and 


WAK  DIARY   OF  A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH          7 

then  his  overflowing  heart  to  his  eager  female  listeners, 
who  in  turn  relate,  inquire,  sympathize,  or  cheer.  If  I 
dare  express  a  doubt  that  the  path  to  victory  will  be 
a  flowery  one,  eyes  flash,  cheeks  burn,  and  tongues 
clatter,  till  all  are  checked  up  suddenly  by  a  warning 
rap  for  "Order,  order!"  from  the  amiable  lady  presid 
ing.  Thus  we  swallow  politics  with  every  meal.  We 
take  a  mouthful  and  read  a  telegram,  one  eye  on  table, 
the  other  on  the  paper.  One  must  be  made  of  cool 
stuff  to  keep  calm  and  collected,  but  I  say  but  little. 
This  war  fever  has  banished  small  talk.  Through  all 
the  black  servants  move  about  quietly,  never  seeming 
to  notice  that  this  is  all  about  them. 

"How  can  you  speak  so  plainly  before  them?"  I  say. 

"Why,  what  matter!  They  know  that  we  shall  keep 
the  whip-handle." 

April  13, 1861. — More  than  a  month  has  passed  since 
the  last  date  here.  This  afternoon  I  was  seated  on  the 
floor  covered  with  loveliest  flowers,  arranging  a  floral 
offering  for  the  fair,  when  the  gentlemen  arrived  and 
with  papers  bearing  news  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter, 
which,  at  her  request,  I  read  to  Mrs.  F. 

April  20. — The  last  few  days  have  glided  away  in  a 
halo  of  beauty.  But  nobody  has  time  or  will  to  enjoy 
it.  War,  war !  is  the  one  idea.  The  children  play  only 
with  toy  cannons  and  soldiers;  the  oldest  inhabitant 
goes  by  every  day  with  his  rifle  to  practice;  the  public 
squares  are  full  of  companies  drilling,  and  are  now  the 
fashionable  resorts.  We  have  been  told  that  it  is  best 
for  women  to  learn  how  to  shoot  too,  so  as  to  protect 
themselves  when  the  men  have  all  gone  to  battle. 
Every  evening  after  dinner  we  adjourn  to  the  back  lot 


8  ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

and  fire  at  a  target  with  pistols.  Yesterday  I  dined  at 
Uncle  Ralph's.  Some  members  of  the  bar  were  present, 
and  were  jubilant  about  their  brand-new  Confederacy. 
It  would  soon  be  the  grandest  government  ever  known. 
Uncle  Ralph  said  solemnly,  "  No,  gentlemen ;  the  day 
we  seceded  the  star  of  our  glory  set."  The  words  sunk 
into  my  mind  like  a  knell,  and  made  me  wonder  at  the 
mind  that  could  recognize  that  and  yet  adhere  to  the 
doctrine  of  secession. 

In  the  evening  I  attended  a  farewell  gathering  at 
a  friend's  whose  brothers  are  to  leave  this  week  for 
Richmond.  There  was  music.  No  minor  chord  was 
permitted. 

ra 

TRIBULATION 

April  25. — Yesterday  I  went  with  Cousin  E.  to  have 
her  picture  taken.  The  picture-galleries  are  doing  a 
thriving  business.  Many  companies  are  ordered  off  to 
take  possession  of  Fort  Pickens  (Florida),  and  all  seem 
to  be  leaving  sweethearts  behind  them.  The  crowd 
was  in  high  spirits ;  they  don't  dream  that  any  destinies 
will  be  spoiled.  When  I  got  home  Edith  was  reading 
from  the  daily  paper  of  the  dismissal  of  Miss  Gr.  from 
her  place  as  teacher  for  expressing  abolition  senti 
ments,  and  that  she  would  be  ordered  to  leave  the  city. 
Soon  a  lady  came  with  a  paper  setting  forth  that  she 
has  established  a  "company" — we  are  nothing  if  not 
military — for  making  lint  and  getting  stores  of  linen 
to  supply  the  hospitals. 


WAR  DIAEY   OF  A   UNION  WOMAN  IN   THE   SOUTH         9 

My  name  went  down.  If  it  had  n't,  my  spirit  would 
have  been  wounded  as  with  sharp  spears  before  night. 
Next  came  a  little  girl  with  a  subscription  paper  to  get 
a  flag  for  a  certain  company.  The  little  girls,  especially 
the  pretty  ones,  are  kept  busy  trotting  around  with 
subscription  lists.  Latest  of  all  came  little  Guy,  Mr. 
F.'s  youngest  clerk,  the  pet  of  the  firm  as  well  as  of  his 
home,  a  mere  boy  of  sixteen.  Such  senseless  sacrifices 
seem  a  sin.  He  chattered  brightly,  but  lingered  about, 
saying  good-by.  He  got  through  it  bravely  until 
Edith's  husband  incautiously  said,  "  You  did  n't  kiss 
your  little  sweetheart,"  as  he  always  called  Ellie,  who 
had  been  allowed  to  sit  up.  He  turned  and  suddenly 
broke  into  agonizing  sobs  and  then  ran  down  the  steps. 

May  10. — I  am  tired  and  ashamed  of  myself.  Last 
week  I  attended  a  meeting  of  the  lint  society  to  hand 
in  the  small  contribution  of  linen  I  had  been  able  to 
gather.  We  scraped  lint  till  it  was  dark.  A  paper  was 
shown,  entitled  the  "  Volunteer's  Friend,"  started  by  the 
girls  of  the  high  school,  and  I  was  asked  to  help  the 
girls  with  it.  I  positively  declined.  To-day  I  was 
pressed  into  service  to  make  red  flannel  cartridge-bags 
for  ten-inch  columbiads.  I  basted  while  Mrs.  S.  sewed, 
and  I  felt  ashamed  to  think  that  I  had  not  the  moral 
courage  to  say,  "  I  don't  approve  of  your  war  and  won't 
help  you,  particularly  in  the  murderous  part  of  it." 

May  27. —  This  has  been  a  scenic  Sabbath.  Various 
companies  about  to  depart  for  Virginia  occupied  the 
prominent  churches  to  have  their  flags  consecrated. 
The  streets  were  resonant  with  the  clangor  of  drums 
and  trumpets.  E.  and  myself  went  to  Christ  Church 
because  the  Washington  Artillery  were  to  be  there. 


10         ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

June  13. — To-day  has  been  appointed  a  Fast  Day.  I 
spent  the  morning  writing  a  letter  on  which  I  put  my 
first  Confederate  postage-stamp.  It  is  of  a  brown 
color  and  has  a  large  5  in  the  center.  To-morrow  must 
be  devoted  to  all  my  foreign  correspondents  before  the 
expected  blockade  cuts  us  off. 

June  29. — I  attended  a  fine  luncheon  yesterday  at 
one  of  the  public  schools.  A  lady  remarked  to  a  school 
official  that  the  cost  of  provisions  in  the  Confederacy 
was  getting  very  high,  butter,  especially,  being  scarce 
and  costly.  "Never  fear,  my  dear  madam,"  he  re 
plied.  "Texas  alone  can  furnish  butter  enough  to 
supply  the  whole  Confederacy ;  we  '11  soon  be  getting 
it  from  there."  It 's  just  as  well  to  have  this  sublime 
confidence. 

July  15. — The  quiet  of  midsummer  reigns,  but  ripples 
of  excitement  break  around  us  as  the  papers  tell  of 
skirmishes  and  attacks  here  and  there  in  Virginia. 
"Eich  Mountain"  and  "Carrick's  Ford"  were  the  last. 
"You  see,"  said  Mrs.  D.  at  breakfast  to-day,  "my 
prophecy  is  coming  true  that  Virginia  will  be  the  seat 
of  war."  "  Indeed,"  I  burst  out,  forgetting  my  resolu 
tion  not  to  argue,  "  you  may  think  yourselves  lucky  if 
this  war  turns  out  to  have  any  seat  in  particular." 

So  far,  no  one  especially  connected  with  me  has  gone 
to  fight.  How  glad  I  am  for  his  mother's  sake  that 
Bob's  lameness  will  keep  him  at  home.  Mr.  F.,  Mr.  S., 
and  Uncle  Ealph  are  beyond  the  age  for  active  service, 
and  Edith  says  Mr.  D.  can't  go  now.  She  is  very 
enthusiastic  about  other  people's  husbands  being  en 
rolled,  and  regrets  that  her  Alex  is  not  strong  enough 
to  defend  his  country  and  his  rights. 


WAR  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        11 

July  22. — What  a  day !  I  feel  like  one  who  has  been 
out  in  a  high  wind,  and  cannot  get  my  breath.  The 
newsboys  are  still  shouting  with  their  extras,  "  Battle 
of  Bull's  Run  !  List  of  the  killed !  Battle  of  Manassas  ! 
List  of  the  wounded ! "  Tender-hearted  Mrs.  F.  was 
sobbing  so  she  could  not  serve  the  tea;  but  nobody 
cared  for  tea.  "  0  Gr. ! "  she  said,  "  three  thousand  of 
our  own,  dear  Southern  boys  are  lying  out  there." 
"My  dear  Fannie,"  spoke  Mr.  F.,  "  they  are  heroes  now. 
They  died  in  a  glorious  cause,  and  it  is  not  in  vain. 
This  will  end  it.  The  sacrifice  had  to  be  made,  but 
those  killed  have  gained  immortal  names."  Then  Rob 
rushed  in  with  a  new  extra,  reading  of  the  spoils  cap 
tured,  and  grief  was  forgotten.  Words  cannot  paint 
the  excitement.  Rob  capered  about  and  cheered; 
Edith  danced  around  ringing  the  dinner-bell  and 
shouting,  "Victory!"  Mrs.  F.  waved  a  small  Con 
federate  flag,  while  she  wiped  her  eyes,  and  Mr.  D. 
hastened  to  the  piano  and  in  his  most  brilliant  style 
struck  up  "Dixie,"  followed  by  "My  Maryland"  and 
the  "  Bonnie  Blue  Flag." 

"  Do  not  look  so  gloomy,  Gr.,"  whispered  Mr.  S.  "You 
should  be  happy  to-night ;  for,  as  Mr.  F.  says,  now  we 
shall  have  peace." 

"  And  is  that  the  way  you  think  of  the  men  of  your 
own  blood  and  race?"  I  replied.  But  an  utter  scorn 
came  over  me  and  choked  me,  and  I  walked  out  of  the 
room.  What  proof  is  there  in  this  dark  hour  that  they 
are  not  right !  Only  the  emphatic  answer  of  my  own 
soul.  To-morrow  I  will  pack  my  trunk  and  accept  the 
invitation  to  visit  at  Uncle  Ralph's  country  house. 

Sept.  25. — When  I  opened  the  door  of  Mrs.  F.'s  room 


12         ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

on  my  return,  the  rattle  of  two  sewing-machines  and  a 
blaze  of  color  met  me. 

"Ah,  Gr.,  you  are  just  in  time  to  help  us;  these  are 
coats  for  Jeff  Thompson's  men.  All  the  cloth  in  the 
city  is  exhausted;  these  flannel-lined  oil-cloth  table- 
covers  are  all  we  could  obtain  to  make  overcoats  for 
Thompson's  poor  boys.  They  will  be  very  warm  and 
serviceable." 

"  Serviceable —  yes !  The  Federal  army  will  fly  when 
they  see  those  coats !  I  only  wish  I  could  be  with  the 
regiment  when  these  are  shared  around."  Yet  I  helped 
make  them. 

Seriously,  I  wonder  if  any  soldiers  will  ever  wear 
these  remarkable  coats — the  most  bewildering  com 
bination  of  brilliant,  intense  reds,  greens,  yellows,  and 
blues  in  big  flowers  meandering  over  as  vivid  grounds ; 
and  as  no  table-cover  was  large  enough  to  make  a  coat, 
the  sleeves  of  each  were  of  a  different  color  and  pat 
tern.  However,  the  coats  were  duly  finished.  Then 
we  set  to  work  on  gray  pantaloons,  and  I  have  just 
carried  a  bundle  to  an  ardent  young  lady  who  wishes 
to  assist.  A  slight  gloom  is  settling  down,  and  the 
inmates  here  are  not  quite  so  cheerfully  confident  as 
in  July. 

IV 

A  BELEAGUERED  CITY 

Oct.  22. — When  I  came  to  breakfast  this  morning 
Eob  was  capering  over  another  victory — Ball's  Bluff. 
He  would  read  me,  "  We  pitched  the  Yankees  over  the 


WAE   DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        13 

bluff,"  and  ask  me  in  the  next  breath  to  go  to  the 
theater  this  evening.  I  turned  on  the  poor  fellow. 
"Don't  tell  me  about  your  victories.  You  vowed  by 
all  your  idols  that  the  blockade  would  be  raised  by 
October  1,  and  I  notice  the  ships  are  still  serenely 
anchored  below  the  city." 

"GL,  you  are  just  as  pertinacious  yourself  in  cham 
pioning  your  opinions.  What  sustains  you  when 
nobody  agrees  with  you?" 

Oct.  28. — When  I  dropped  in  at  Uncle  Ralph's  last 
evening  to  welcome  them  back,  the  whole  family  were 
busy  at  a  great  center-table  copying  sequestration  acts 
for  the  Confederate  Government.  The  property  of  all 
Northerners  and  Unionists  is  to  be  sequestrated,  and 
Uncle  Ealph  can  hardly  get  the  work  done  fast  enough. 
My  aunt  apologized  for  the  rooms  looking  chilly ;  she 
feared  to  put  the  carpets  down,  as  the  city  might  be 
taken  and  burned  by  the  Federals.  "We  are  living  as 
much  packed  up  as  possible.  A  signal  has  been  agreed 
upon,  and  the  instant  the  army  approaches  we  shall  be 
off  to  the  country  again." 

Great  preparations  are  being  made  for  defense.  At 
several  other  places  where  I  called  the  women  were  al 
most  hysterical.  They  seemed  to  look  forward  to  being 
blown  up  with  shot  and  shell,  finished  with  cold  steel, 
or  whisked  off  to  some  Northern  prison.  When  I  got 
home  Edith  and  Mr.  D.  had  just  returned  also. 

"Alex,"  said  Edith,  "I  was  up  at  your  orange-lots 
to-day,  and  the  sour  oranges  are  dropping  to  the 
ground,  while  they  cannot  get  lemons  for  our  sick 
soldiers." 

"  That  's  my  kind,  considerate  wife,"  replied  Mr.  D. 


14         ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAB 

"Why did  n't  I  think  of  that  before?  Jim  shall  fill 
some  barrels  to-morrow  and  take  them  to  the  hospitals 
as  a  present  from  you." 

Nov.  10. —  Surely  this  year  will  ever  be  memorable 
to  me  for  its  perfection  of  natural  beauty.  Never  was 
sunshine  such  pure  gold,  or  moonlight  such  transparent 
silver.  The  beautiful  custom  prevalent  here  of  deck 
ing  the  graves  with  flowers  on  All  Saints'  day  was  well 
fulfilled,  so  profuse  and  rich  were  the  blossoms.  On 
All-hallow  eve  Mrs.  S.  and  myself  visited  a  large  ceme 
tery.  The  chrysanthemums  lay  like  great  masses  of 
snow  and  flame  and  gold  in  every  garden  we  passed, 
and  were  piled  on  every  costly  tomb  and  lowly  grave. 
The  battle  of  Manassas  robed  many  of  our  women  in 
mourning,  and  some  of  those  who  had  no  graves  to 
deck  were  weeping  silently  as  they  walked  through  the 
scented  avenues. 

A  few  days  ago  Mrs.  E.  arrived  here.  She  is  a  widow, 
of  Natchez,  a  friend  of  Mrs.  F.'s,  and  is  traveling  home 
with  the  dead  body  of  her  eldest  son,  killed  at  Manas 
sas.  She  stopped  two  days  waiting  for  a  boat,  and 
begged  me  to  share  her  room  and  read  her  to  sleep, 
saying  she  could  n't  be  alone  since  he  was  killed;  she 
feared  her  mind  would  give  way.  So  I  read  all  the 
comforting  chapters  to  be  found  till  she  dropped  into 
forgetfulness,  but  the  recollection  of  those  weeping 
mothers  in  the  cemetery  banished  sleep  for  me. 

Nov.  26. — The  lingering  summer  is  passing  into  those 
misty  autumn  days  I  love  so  well,  when  there  is  gold 
and  fire  above  and  around  us.  But  the  glory  of  the 
natural  and  the  gloom  of  the  moral  world  agree  not 
well  together.  This  morning  Mrs.  F.  came  to  my  room 


WAK   DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        15 

in  dire  distress.  "You  see,"  she  said,  "cold  weather  is 
coming  on  fast,  and  our  poor  fellows  are  lying  out  at 
night  with  nothing  to  cover  them.  There  is  a  wail  for 
blankets,  but  there  is  not  a  blanket  in  town.  I  have 
gathered  up  all  the  spare  bed-clothing,  and  now  want 
every  available  rug  or  table-cover  in  the  house.  Can't 
I  have  yours,  GL  ?  We  must  make  these  small  sacrifices 
of  comfort  and  elegance,  you  know,  to  secure  indepen 
dence  and  freedom." 

"  Very  well,"  I  said,  denuding  the  table.  "  This  may 
do  for  a  drummer  boy." 

Dec.  26,  1861.— The  foul  weather  cleared  off  bright 
and  cool  in  time  for  Christmas.  There  is  a  midwinter 
lull  in  the  movement  of  troops.  In  the  evening  we 
went  to  the  grand  bazaar  in  the  St.  Louis  Hotel,  got 
up  to  clothe  the  soldiers.  This  bazaar  has  furnished 
the  gayest,  most  fashionable  war-work  yet,  and  has 
kept  social  circles  in  a  flutter  of  pleasant,  heroic  excite 
ment  all  through  December.  Everything  beautiful  or 
rare  garnered  in  the  homes  of  the  rich  was  given  for 
exhibition,  and  in  some  cases  for  raffle  and  sale.  There 
were  many  fine  paintings,  statues,  bronzes,  engravings, 
gems,  laces — in  fact,  heirlooms  and  bric-a-brac  of  all 
sorts.  There  were  many  lovely  Creole  girls  present,  in 
exquisite  toilets,  passing  to  and  fro  through  the  deco 
rated  rooms,  listening  to  the  band  clash  out  the  Anvil 
Chorus. 

Jan.  2,  1862. — I  am  glad  enough  to  bid  '61  good-by. 
Most  miserable  year  of  my  life !  What  ages  of  thought 
and  experience  have  I  not  lived  in  it ! 

The  city  authorities  have  been  searching  houses  for 
firearms.  It  is  a  good  way  to  get  more  guns,  and  the 


16          ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

homes  of  those  men  suspected  of  being  Unionists  were 
searched  first.  Of  course  they  went  to  Dr.  B.'s.  He 
met  them  with  his  own  delightful  courtesy.  "Wish  to 
search  for  arms?  Certainly,  gentlemen."  He  con 
ducted  them  all  through  the  house  with  smiling  readi 
ness,  and  after  what  seemed  a  very  thorough  search 
bowed  them  politely  out.  His  gun  was  all  the  time 
safely  reposing  between  the  canvas  folds  of  a  cot-bed 
which  leaned  folded  up  together  against  the  wall,  in 
the  very  room  where  they  had  ransacked  the  closets. 
Queerly,  the  rebel  families  have  been  the  ones  most 
anxious  to  conceal  all  weapons.  They  have  dug  graves 
quietly  at  night  in  the  back  yards,  and  carefully  wrap 
ping  the  weapons,  buried  them  out  of  sight.  Every 
man  seems  to  think  he  will  have  some  private  fighting 
to  do  to  protect  his  family. 


MABEIED 

Friday,  Jan.  24,  1862.  (On  Steamboat  W.,  Missis 
sippi  Ewer.) — With  a  changed  name  I  open  you  once 
more,  my  journal.  It  was  a  sad  time  to  wed,  when 
one  knew  not  how  long  the  expected  conscription 
would  spare  the  bridegroom.  The  women-folk  knew 
how  to  sympathize  with  a  girl  expected  to  prepare  for 
her  wedding  in  three  days,  in  a  blockaded  city,  and 
about  to  go  far  from  any  base  of  supplies.  They  all 
rallied  round  me  with  tokens  of  love  and  consideration, 
and  sewed,  shopped,  mended,  and  packed,  as  if  sewing 


WAR  DIARY  OF  A   UNION  WOMAN  IN  THE  SOUTH        17 

soldier  clothes.  And  they  decked  the  whole  house 
and  the  church  with  flowers.  Music  breathed,  wine 
sparkled,  friends  came  and  went.  It  seemed  a  dream, 
and  comes  up  now  again  out  of  the  afternoon  sunshine 
where  I  sit  on  deck.  The  steamboat  slowly  plows  its 
way  through  lumps  of  floating  ice, —  a  novel  sight  to 
me, — and  I  look  forward  wondering  whether  the  new 
people  I  shall  meet  will  be  as  fierce  about  the  war  as 
those  in  New  Orleans.  That  past  is  to  be  all  forgotten 
and  forgiven;  I  understood  thus  the  kindly  acts  that 
sought  to  brighten  the  threshold  of  a  new  life. 

Feb.  15.  (Village  of  X.) — We  reached  Arkansas 
Landing  at  nightfall.  Mr.  Y.,  the  planter  who  owns 
the  landing,  took  us  right  up  to  his  residence.  He 
ushered  me  into  a  large  room  where  a  couple  of  candles 
gave  a  dim  light,  and  close  to  them,  and  sewing  as  if 
on  a  race  with  Time,  sat  Mrs.  Y.  and  a  little  negro  girl, 
who  was  so  black  and  sat  so  stiff  and  straight  she 
looked  like  an  ebony  image.  This  was  a  large  planta 
tion;  the  Y.'s  knew  H.  very  well,  and  were  very  kind 
and  cordial  in  their  welcome  and  congratulations.  Mrs. 
Y.  apologized  for  continuing  her  work;  the  war  had 
pushed  them  this  year  in  getting  the  negroes  clothed, 
and  she  had  to  sew  by  dim  candles,  as  they  could  ob 
tain  no  more  oil.  She  asked  if  there  were  any  new 
fashions  in  New  Orleans. 

Next  morning  we  drove  over  to  our  home  in  this 
village.  It  is  the  county-seat,  and  was,  till  now,  a  good 
place  for  the  practice  of  H.'s  profession.  It  lies  on  the 
edge  of  a  lovely  lake.  The  adjacent  planters  count 
their  slaves  by  the  hundreds.  Some  of  them  live  with 
a  good  deal  of  magnificence,  using  service  of  plate, 


18          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

having  smoking-rooms  for  the  gentlemen  built  off  the 
house,  and  entertaining  with  great  hospitality.  The 
Baptists,  Episcopalians,  and  Methodists  hold  services 
on  alternate  Sundays  in  the  court-house.  All  the 
planters  and  many  others  near  the  lake  shore  keep  a 
boat  at  their  landing,  and  a  raft  for  crossing  vehicles 
and  horses.  It  seemed  very  piquant  at  first,  this  tak 
ing  our  boat  to  go  visiting,  and  on  moonlight  nights 
it  was  charming.  The  woods  around  are  lovelier  than 
those  in  Louisiana,  though  one  misses  the  moaning  of 
the  pines.  There  is  fine  fishing  and  hunting,  but  these 
cotton  estates  are  not  so  pleasant  to  visit  as  sugar 
plantations. 

But  nothing  else  has  been  so  delightful  as,  one  morn 
ing,  my  first  sight  of  snow  and  a  wonderful  new,  white 
world. 

Feb.  27. — The  people  here  have  hardly  felt  the  war 
yet.  There  are  but  two  classes.  The  planters  and  the 
professional  men  form  one ;  the  very  poor  villagers  the 
other.  There  is  no  middle  class.  Ducks  and  par 
tridges,  squirrels  and  fish,  are  to  be  had.  H.  has  bought 
me  a  nice  pony,  and  cantering  along  the  shore  of  the 
lake  in  the  sunset  is  a  panacea  for  mental  worry. 


VI 
HOW  IT  WAS  IN  AKKANSAS 

March  11, 1862. — The  serpent  has  entered  our  Eden. 
The  rancor  and  excitement  of  New  Orleans  have  in 
vaded  this  place.  If  an  incautious  word  betrays  any 


WAR   DIAKY   OF  A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       19 

want  of  sympathy  with  popular  plans,  one  is  "  traitor 
ous,"  "  ungrateful,"  "  crazy."  If  one  remains  silent  and 
controlled,  then  one  is  "phlegmatic,"  "cool-blooded," 
"unpatriotic."  Cool-blooded!  Heavens!  if  they  only 
knew.  It  is  very  painful  to  see  lovable  and  intelligent 
women  rave  till  the  blood  mounts  to  face  and  brain. 
The  immediate  cause  of  this  access  of  war  fever  has 
been  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge.  They  scout  the  idea 
that  Price  and  Van  Dorn  have  been  completely  worsted. 
Those  who  brought  the  news  were  speedily  told  what 
they  ought  to  say.  "No,  it  is  only  a  serious  check; 
they  must  have  more  men  sent  forward  at  once.  This 
country  must  do  its  duty."  So  the  women  say  another 
company  must  be  raised. 

We  were  guests  at  a  dinner-party  yesterday.  Mrs. 
A.  was  very  talkative.  "  Now,  ladies,  you  must  all  join 
in  with  a  vim  and  help  equip  another  company." 

"Mrs.  L.,"  she  said,  turning  to  me,  "are  you  not 
going  to  send  your  husband  1  Now  use  a  young  bride's 
influence  and  persuade  him ;  he  would  be  elected  one 
of  the  officers."  "  Mrs.  A.,"  I  replied,  longing  to  spring 
up  and  throttle  her,  "  the  Bible  says,  '  When  a  man 
hath  married  a  new  wife,  he  shall  not  go  to  war  for 
one  year,  but  remain  at  home  and  cheer  up  his  wife.1 " 

"Well,  H.,"  I  questioned,  as  we  walked  home  after 
crossing  the  lake,  "can  you  stand  the  pressure,  or 
shall  you  be  forced  into  volunteering  ? "  "  Indeed,"  he 
replied,  "  I  will  not  be  bullied  into  enlisting  by  women, 
or  by  men.  I  will  sooner  take  my  chance  of  conscrip 
tion  and  feel  honest  about  it.  You  know  my  attach 
ments,  my  interests  are  here ;  these  are  my  people.  I 
could  never  fight  against  them;  but  my  judgment 


20          ADVENTURES  AlND   ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR 

disapproves  their  course,  and  the  result  will  inevitably 
be  against  us." 

This  morning  the  only  Irishman  left  in  the  village 
presented  himself  to  H.  He  has  been  our  wood-sawyer, 
gardener,  and  factotum,  but  having  joined  the  new 
company,  his  time  recently  has  been  taken  up  with 
drilling.  H.  and  Mr.  E.  feel  that  an  extensive  vegetable 
garden  must  be  prepared  while  he  is  here  to  assist,  or  we 
shall  be  short  of  food,  and  they  sent  for  him  yesterday. 

"  So,  Mike,  you  are  really  going  to  be  a  soldier  1 " 

"  Yes,  sor ;  but  faith,  Mr.  L.,  I  don't  see  the  use  of  me 
going  to  shtop  a  bullet  when  sure  an'  I  'm  willin'  for  it 
to  go  where  it  plazes." 

March  18, 1862. — There  has  been  unusual  gaiety  in 
this  little  village  the  past  few  days.  The  ladies  from 
the  surrounding  plantations  went  to  work  to  get  up  a 
festival  to  equip  the  new  company.  As  Annie  and 
myself  are  both  brides  recently  from  the  city,  requisi 
tion  was  made  upon  us  for  engravings,  costumes,  music, 
garlands,  and  so  forth.  Annie's  heart  was  in  the  work; 
not  so  with  me.  Nevertheless,  my  pretty  things  were 
captured,  and  shone  with  just  as  good  a  grace  last 
evening  as  if  willingly  lent.  The  ball  was  a  merry  one. 
One  of  the  songs  sung  was  "Nellie  Gray,"  in  which  the 
most  distressing  feature  of  slavery  is  bewailed  so  piti 
fully.  To  sing  this  at  a  festival  for  raising  money  to 
clothe  soldiers  fighting  to  perpetuate  that  very  thing 
was  strange. 

March  20, 1862. — A  man  professing  to  act  by  General 
Hindrnan's  orders  is  going  through  the  country  im 
pressing  horses  and  mules.  The  overseer  of  a  certain 
estate  came  to  inquire  of  H.  if  he  had  not  a  legal  right 


WAR  DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN    THE   SOUTH       21 

to  protect  the  property  from  seizure.  Mr.  L.  said  yes, 
unless  the  agent  could  show  some  better  credentials 
than  his  bare  word.  This  answer  soon  spread  about, 
and  the  overseer  returned  to  report  that  it  excited 
great  indignation,  especially  among  the  company  of 
new  volunteers.  H.  was  pronounced  a  traitor,  and  they 
declared  that  no  one  so  untrue  to  the  Confederacy 
should  live  there.  When  H.  related  the  circumstance 
at  dinner,  his  partner,  Mr.  R.,  became  very  angry,  being 
ignorant  of  H.'s  real  opinions.  He  jumped  up  in  a 
rage  and  marched  away  to  the  village  thoroughfare. 
There  he  met  a  batch  of  the  volunteers,  and  said,  "We 
know  what  you  have  said  of  us,  and  I  have  come  to 
tell  you  that  you  are  liars,  and  you  know  where  to 
find  us." 

Of  course  I  expected  a  difficulty;  but  the  evening 
passed,  and  we  retired  undisturbed.  Not  long  after 
ward  a  series  of  indescribable  sounds  broke  the  still 
ness  of  the  night,  and  the  tramp  of  feet  was  heard  out 
side  the  house.  Mr.  R.  called  out,  "  It 's  a  serenade,  H. 
Get  up  and  bring  out  all  the  wine  you  have."  Annie 
and  I  peeped  through  the  parlor  window,  and  lo !  it 
was  the  company  of  volunteers  and  a  diabolical  band 
composed  of  bones  and  broken-winded  brass  instru 
ments.  They  piped  and  clattered  and  whined  for  some 
time,  and  then  swarmed  in,  while  we  ladies  retreated 
and  listened  to  the  clink  of  glasses. 

March  22. — H.,  Mr.  R.,  and  Mike  have  been  very 
busy  the  last  few  days  getting  the  acre  of  kitchen-gar 
den  plowed  and  planted.  The  stay-law  has  stopped  all 
legal  business,  and  they  have  welcomed  this  work. 
But  to-day  a  thunderbolt  foil  in  our  household.  Mr. 


22          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

E.  came  in  and  announced  that  he  had  agreed  to  join 
the  company  of  volunteers.  Annie's  Confederate  prin 
ciples  would  not  permit  her  to  make  much  resistance, 
and  she  has  been  sewing  and  mending  as  fast  as  pos 
sible  to  get  his  clothes  ready,  stopping  now  and  then  to 
wipe  her  eyes.  Poor  Annie !  She  and  Max  have  been 
married  only  a  few  months  longer  than  we  have ;  but 
a  noble  sense  of  duty  animates  and  sustains  her. 


VII 
THE   FIGHT   FOR   FOOD   AND   CLOTHING 

April  1. — The  last  ten  days  have  brought  changes  in 
the  house.  Max  E.  left  with  the  company  to  be  mus 
tered  in,  leaving  with  us  his  weeping  Annie.  Hardly 
were  her  spirits  somewhat  composed  when  her  brother 
arrived  from  Natchez  to  take  her  home.  This  morn 
ing  he,  Annie,  and  Eeeney,  the  black  handmaiden, 
posted  off.  Out  of  seven  of  us  only  H.,  myself,  and 
Aunt  Judy  are  left.  The  absence  of  Eeeney  will  be  not 
the  least  noted.  She  was  as  precious  an  imp  as  any 
Topsy  ever  was.  Her  tricks  were  endless  and  her 
innocence  of  them  amazing.  When  sent  out  to  bring 
in  eggs  she  would  take  them  from  nests  where  hens 
were  hatching,  and  embryo  chickens  would  be  served 
up  at  breakfast,  while  Eeeney  stood  by  grinning  to  see 
them  opened;  but  when  accused  she  was  imperturb 
able.  "Laws,  Mis'  L.,  I  nebber  done  bin  nigh  dem 
hens.  Mis'  Annie,  you  can  go  count  dem  dere  eggs." 
That  when  counted  they  were  found  minus  the  num- 


WAK  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        23 

ber  she  had  brought  had  no  effect  on  her  stolid  denial. 
H.  has  plenty  to  do  finishing  the  garden  all  by  himself, 
but  the  time  rather  drags  for  me. 

April  13,  1862. — This  morning  I  was  sewing  up  a 
rent  in  H.'s  garden  coat,  when  Aunt  Judy  rushed  in. 

"  Laws  !  Mis'  L.,  here  ?s  Mr.  Max  and  Mis'  Annie  done 
come  back!"  A  buggy  was  coming  up  with  Max, 
Annie,  and  Reeney. 

"  Well,  is  the  war  over  1 "  I  asked. 

"  Oh,  I  got  sick ! "  replied  our  returned  soldier,  get 
ting  slowly  out  of  the  buggy. 

He  was  very  thin  and  pale,  and  explained  that  he 
took  a  severe  cold  almost  at  once,  had  a  mild  attack  of 
pneumonia,  and  the  surgeon  got  him  his  discharge  as 
unfit  for  service.  He  succeeded  in  reaching  Annie,  and 
a  few  days  of  good  care  made  him  strong  enough  to 
travel  back  home. 

"  I  suppose,  H.,  you  ?ve  heard  that  Island  No.  10  is 
gone  1 " 

Yes,  we  had  heard  that  much,  but  Max  had  the  par 
ticulars,  and  an  exciting  talk  followed.  At  night  H. 
said  to  me,  "  GL,  New  Orleans  will  be  the  next  to  go, 
you  '11  see,  and  I  want  to  get  there  first ;  this  stagna 
tion  here  will  kill  me." 

April  28. — This  evening  has  been  very  lovely,  but 
full  of  a  sad  disappointment.  H.  invited  me  to  drive. 
As  we  turned  homeward  he  said : 

"  Well,  my  arrangements  are  completed.  You  can 
begin  to  pack  your  trunks  to-morrow,  and  I  shall  have 
a  talk  with  Max." 

Mr.  R.  and  Annie  were  sitting  on  the  gallery  as  I  ran 
up  the  steps. 


24         ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

"  Heard  the  news  I "  they  cried. 

"No.    What  news?" 

"New  Orleans  is  taken!  All  the  boats  have  been 
run  up  the  river  to  save  them.  No  more  mails." 

How  little  they  knew  what  plans  of  ours  this  dashed 
away.  But  our  disappointment  is  truly  an  infinitesi 
mal  drop  in  the  great  waves  of  triumph  and  despair 
surging  to-night  in  thousands  of  hearts. 

April  30. — The  last  two  weeks  have  glided  quietly 
away  without  incident  except  the  arrival  of  new  neigh 
bors — Dr.  Y.,  his  wife,  two  children,  and  servants. 
That  a  professional  man  prospering  in  Vicksburg 
should  come  now  to  settle  in  this  retired  place  looks 
queer.  Max  said : 

"  H.,  that  man  has  come  here  to  hide  from  the  con 
script  officers.  He  has  brought  no  end  of  provisions, 
and  is  here  for  the  war.  He  has  chosen  well,  for  this 
county  is  so  cleaned  of  men  it  won't  pay  to  send  the 
conscript  officers  here." 

Our  stores  are  diminishing  and  cannot  be  replenished 
from  without ;  ingenuity  and  labor  must  evoke  them. 
We  have  a  fine  garden  in  growth,  plenty  of  chickens, 
and  hives  of  bees  to  furnish  honey  in  lieu  of  sugar.  A 
good  deal  of  salt  meat  has  been  stored  in  the  smoke 
house,  and,  with  fish  from  the  lake,  we  expect  to  keep 
the  wolf  from  the  door.  The  season  for  game  is  about 
over,  but  an  occasional  squirrel  or  duck  comes  to  the 
larder,  though  the  question  of  ammunition  has  to  be 
considered.  What  we  have  may  be  all  we  can  have,  if 
the  war  lasts  five  years  longer ;  and  they  say  they  are 
prepared  to  hold  out  till  the  crack  of  doom.  Food, 
however,  is  not  the  only  want.  I  never  realized  before 
the  varied  needs  of  civilization.  Every  day  something 


WAR  DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        25 

is  out.  Last  week  but  two  bars  of  soap  remained,  so 
we  began  to  save  bones  and  ashes.  Annie  said: 
"  Now,  if  we  only  had  some  china-berry  trees  here,  we 
should  n't  need  any  other  grease.  They  are  making 
splendid  soap  at  Vicksburg  with  china-balls.  They 
just  put  the  berries  into  the  lye  and  it  eats  them  right 
up  and  makes  a  fine  soap."  I  did  long  for  some  china- 
berries  to  make  this  experiment.  H.  had  laid  in  what 
seemed  a  good  supply  of  kerosene,  but  it  is  nearly  gone, 
and  we  are  down  to  two  candles  kept  for  an  emergency. 
Annie  brought  a  receipt  from  Natchez  for  making 
candles  of  rosin  and  wax,  and  with  great  forethought 
brought  also  the  wick  and  rosin.  So  yesterday  we 
tried  making  candles.  We  had  no  molds,  but  Annie 
said  the  latest  style  in  Natchez  was  to  make  a  waxen 
rope  by  dipping,  then  wrap  it  round  a  corn-cob.  But 
H.  cut  smooth  blocks  of  wood  about  four  inches 
square,  into  which  he  set  a  polished  cylinder  about 
four  inches  high.  The  waxen  ropes  were  coiled  round 
the  cylinder  like  a  serpent,  with  the  head  raised  about 
two  inches ;  as  the  light  burned  down  to  the  cylinder, 
more  of  the  rope  was  unwound.  To-day  the  vinegar 
was  found  to  be  all  gone,  and  we  have  started  to  make 
some.  For  tyros  we  succeed  pretty  well. 


VIII 
DROWNED   OUT  AND   STARVED   OUT 

May  9. — A  great  misfortune  has  come  upon  us  all. 
For  several  days  every  one  has  been  uneasy  about  the 
unusual  rise  of  the  Mississippi  and  about  a  rumor  that 


26          ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

the  Federal  forces  had  cut  levees  above  to  swamp  the 
country.  There  is  a  slight  levee  back  of  the  village, 
and  H.  went  yesterday  to  examine  it.  It  looked  strong, 
and  we  hoped  for  the  best.  About  dawn  this  morning 
a  strange  gurgle  woke  me.  It  had  a  pleasing,  lulling 
effect.  I  could  not  fully  rouse  at  first,  but  curiosity 
conquered  at  last,  and  I  called  H. 

"  Listen  to  that  running  water.  What  is  it  ?  n 
He  sprung  up,  listened  a  second,  and  shouted:  "Max, 
get  up !  The  water  is  on  us ! "  They  both  rushed  off 
to  the  lake  for  the  skiff.  The  levee  had  not  broken. 
The  water  was  running  clean  over  it  and  through  the 
garden  fence  so  rapidly  that  by  the  time  I  dressed  and 
got  outside  Max  was  paddling  the  pirogue  they  had 
brought  in  among  the  pea-vines,  gathering  all  the  ripe 
peas  left  above  the  water.  We  had  enjoyed  one  mess, 
and  he  vowed  we  should  have  another. 

H.  was  busy  nailing  a  raft  together  while  he  had  a 
dry  place  to  stand  on.  Annie  and  I,  with  Reeney,  had 
to  secure  the  chickens,  and  the  back  piazza  was  given 
up  to  them.  By  the  time  a  hasty  breakfast  was  eaten 
the  water  was  in  the  kitchen.  The  stove  and  every 
thing  there  had  to  be  put  up  in  the  dining-room. 
Aunt  Judy  and  Eeeney  had  likewise  to  move  into  the 
house,  their  floor  also  being  covered  with  water.  The 
raft  had  to  be  floated  to  the  storehouse  and  a  plat 
form  built,  on  which  everything  was  elevated.  At 
evening  we  looked  around  and  counted  the  cost.  The 
garden  was  utterly  gone.  Last  evening  we  had  walked 
round  the  strawberry-beds  that  fringed  the  whole  acre 
and  tasted  a  few  just  ripe.  The  hives  were  swamped. 
Many  of  the  chickens  were  drowned.  Sancho  had 


WAR   DIARY    OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       27 

been  sent  to  high  ground,  where  he  could  get  grass. 
In  the  village  everything  green  was  swept  away.  Yet 
we  were  better  off  than  many  others;  for  this  house, 
being  raised,  we  have  escaped  the  water  indoors.  It 
just  laves  the  edge  of  the  galleries. 

May  26. — During  the  past  week  we  have  lived  some 
what  like  Venetians,  with  a  boat  at  the  front  steps  and  a 
raft  at  the  back.  Sunday  H.  and  I  took  skiff  to  church. 
The  clergyman,  who  is  also  tutor  at  a  planter's  across 
the  lake,  preached  to  the  few  who  had  arrived  in  skiffs. 
We  shall  not  try  it  again,  it  is  so  troublesome  getting 
in  and  out  at  the  court-house  steps.  The  imprison 
ment  is  hard  to  endure.  It  threatened  to  make  me 
really  ill,  so  every  evening  H.  lays  a  thick  wrap  in  the 
pirogue,  I  sit  on  it,  and  we  row  off  to  the  ridge  of  dry 
land  running  along  the  lake-shore  and  branching  off 
to  a  strip  of  wood  also  out  of  water.  Here  we  dis 
embark  and  march  up  and  down  till  dusk.  A  great 
deal  of  the  wood  got  wet  and  had  to  be  laid  out  to  dry 
on  the  galleries,  with  clothing,  and  everything  that 
must  be  dried.  One's  own  trials  are  intensified  by 
the  worse  suffering  around  that  we  can  do  nothing 
to  relieve. 

Max  has  a  puppy  named  after  General  Price.  The 
gentlemen  had  both  gone  up-town  yesterday  in  the 
skiff  when  Annie  and  I  heard  little  Price's  despairing 
cries  from  under  the  house,  and  we  got  on  the  raft  to 
find  and  save  him.  We  wore  light  morning  dresses 
and  slippers,  for  shoes  are  becoming  precious.  Annie 
donned  a  Shaker  and  I  a  broad  hat.  We  got  the  raft 
pushed  out  to  the  center  of  the  grounds  opposite  the 
house,  and  could  see  Price  clinging  to  a  post;  the  next 


28         ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN  THE   CIVIL  WAE 

move  must  be  to  navigate  the  raft  up  to  the  side  of  the 
house  and  reach  for  Price.  It  sounds  easy;  but  poke 
around  with  our  poles  as  wildly  or  as  scientifically  as 
we  might,  the  raft  would  not  budge.  The  noonday  sun 
was  blazing  right  overhead,  and  the  muddy  water  run 
ning  all  over  slippered  feet  and  dainty  dresses.  How 
long  we  stayed  praying  for  rescue,  yet  wincing  already 
at  the  laugh  that  would  come  with  it,  I  shall  never 
know.  It  seemed  like  a  day  before  the  welcome  boat 
and  the  "Ha,  ha!"  of  H.  and  Max  were  heard.  The 
confinement  tells  severely  on  all  the  animal  life  about 
us.  Half  the  chickens  are  dead  and  the  other  half  sick. 
The  days  drag  slowly.  We  have  to  depend  mainly 
on  books  to  relieve  the  tedium,  for  we  have  no  piano ; 
none  of  us  like  cards ;  we  are  very  poor  chess-players, 
and  the  chess-set  is  incomplete.  When  we  gather 
round  the  one  lamp — we  dare  not  light  any  more — 
each  one  exchanges  the  gems  of  thought  or  mirthful 
ideas  he  finds.  Frequently  the  gnats  and  the  mos- 
quitos  are  so  bad  we  cannot  read  at  all.  This  even 
ing,  till  a  strong  breeze  blew  them  away,  they  were  in 
tolerable.  Aunt  Judy  goes  about  in  a  dignified  silence, 
too  full  for  words,  only  asking  two  or  three  times, 
"  W'at  I  done  tole  you  fum  de  fust  ? "  The  food  is  a 
trial.  This  evening  the  snaky  candles  lighted  the  glass 
and  silver  on  the  supper-table  with  a  pale  gleam,  and 
disclosed  a  frugal  supper  indeed — tea  without  milk 
(for  all  the  cows  are  gone),  honey,  and  bread.  A  faint 
ray  twinkled  on  the  water  swishing  against  the  house 
and  stretching  away  into  the  dark  woods.  It  looked 
like  civilization  and  barbarism  met  together.  Just  as 
we  sat  down  to  it,  some  one  passing  in  a  boat  shouted 


WAK  DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       29 

that  Confederates  and  Federals  were  fighting  at  Yicks- 
burg. 

Monday,  June  2. — On  last  Friday  morning,  just  three 
weeks  from  the  day  the  water  rose,  signs  of  its  falling 
began.  Yesterday  the  ground  appeared,  and  a  hard 
rain  coming  down  at  the  same  time  washed  off  much 
of  the  unwholesome  debris.  To-day  is  fine,  and  we 
went  out  without  a  boat  for  a  long  walk. 

June  13. —  Since  the  water  ran  off,  we  have,  of 
course,  been  attacked  by  swamp  fever.  H.  succumbed 
first,  then  Annie,  Max  next,  and  then  I.  Luckily,  the 
new  Dr.  Y.  had  brought  quinine  with  him,  and  we 
took  heroic  doses.  Such  fever  never  burned  in  my 
veins  before  or  sapped  strength  so  rapidly,  though 
probably  the  want  of  good  food  was  a  factor.  The  two 
or  three  other  professional  men  have  left.  Dr.  Y. 
alone  remains.  The  roads  now  being  dry  enough,  H. 
and  Max  started  on  horseback,  in  different  directions, 
to  make  an  exhaustive  search  for  food  supplies.  H. 
got  back  this  evening  with  no  supplies. 

June  15. — Max  got  back  to-day.  He  started  right 
off  again  to  cross  the  lake  and  interview  the  planters 
on  that  side,  for  they  had  not  suffered  from  overflow. 

June  16. — Max  got  back  this  morning.  H.  and  he 
were  in  the  parlor  talking  and  examining  maps  together 
till  dinner-time.  When  that  was  over  they  laid  the  mat 
ter  before  us.  To  buy  provisions  had  proved  impossible. 
The  planters  across  the  lake  had  decided  to  issue 
rations  of  corn-meal  and  pease  to  the  villagers  whose 
men  had  all  gone  to  war,  but  they  utterly  refused  to 
sell  anything.  "  They  told  me,"  said  Max,  "  i  We  will 
not  see  your  family  starve,  Mr.  E. ;  but  with  such 


30         ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAE 

numbers  of  slaves  and  the  village  poor  to  feed,  we  can 
spare  nothing  for  sale.7"  "Well,  of  course,"  said  H., 
"  we  do  not  purpose  to  stay  here  and  live  on  charity 
rations.  We  must  leave  the  place  at  all  hazards.  We 
have  studied  out  every  route  and  made  inquiries  every 
where  we  went.  We  shall  have  to  go  down  the  Missis 
sippi  in  an  open  boat  as  far  as  Fetler's  Landing  (on  the 
eastern  bank).  There  we  can  cross  by  land  and  put 
the  boat  into  Steele's  Bayou,  pass  thence  to  the  Yazoo 
River,  from  there  to  Chickasaw  Bayou,  into  McNutt's 
Lake,  and  land  near  my  uncle's  in  Warren  County." 

June  20. — As  soon  as  our  intended  departure  was 
announced,  we  were  besieged  by  requests  for  all  sorts 
of  things  wanted  in  every  family — pins,  matches,  gun 
powder,  and  ink.  One  of  the  last  cases  H.  and  Max 
had  before  the  stay-law  stopped  legal  business  was  the 
settlement  of  an  estate  that  included  a  country  store. 
The  heirs  had  paid  in  chattels  of  the  store.  These  had 
remained  packed  in  the  office.  The  main  contents  of 
the  cases  were  hardware;  but  we  found  treasure  in 
deed — a  keg  of  powder,  a  case  of  matches,  a  paper  of 
pins,  a  bottle  of  ink.  Eed  ink  is  now  made  out  of 
pokeberries.  Pins  are  made  by  capping  thorns  with 
sealing-wax,  or  using  them  as  nature  made  them. 
These  were  articles  money  could  not  get  for  us.  We 
would  give  our  friends  a  few  matches  to  save  for  the 
hour  of  tribulation.  The  paper  of  pins  we  divided 
evenly,  and  filled  a  bank-box  each  with  the  matches.  H. 
filled  a  tight  tin  case  apiece  with  powder  for  Max  and 
himself  and  sold  the  rest,  as  we  could  not  carry  any 
more  on  such  a  trip.  Those  who  did  not  hear  of  this 
in  time  offered  fabulous  prices  afterward  for  a  single 


WAS   DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        31 

pound.  But  money  has  not  its  old  attractions.  Our 
preparations  were  delayed  by  Aunt  Judy  falling  sick 
of  swamp  fever. 

Friday,  June  27. — As  soon  as  the  cook  was  up  again, 
we  resumed  preparations.  We  put  all  the  clothing  in 
order,  and  had  it  nicely  done  up  with  the  last  of  the 
soap  and  starch.  "I  wonder,"  said  Annie,  "when  I 
shall  ever  have  nicely  starched  clothes  after  these? 
They  had  no  starch  in  Natchez  or  Yicksburg  when  I 
was  there."  We  are  now  furbishing  up  dresses  suit 
able  for  such  rough  summer  travel.  While  we  sat  at 
work  yesterday,  the  quiet  of  the  clear,  calm  noon  was 
broken  by  a  low,  continuous  roar  like  distant  thunder. 
To-day  we  are  told  it  was  probably  cannon  at  Vicks- 
burg.  This  is  a  great  distance,  I  think,  to  have  heard 
it — over  a  hundred  miles. 

H.  and  Max  have  bought  a  large  yawl  and  are  busy 
on  the  lake-bank  repairing  it  and  fitting  it  with  lockers. 
Aunt  Judy's  master  has  been  notified  when  to  send  for 
her ;  a  home  for  the  cat  Jeff  has  been  engaged ;  Price 
is  dead,  and  Sancho  sold.  Nearly  all  the  furniture  is 
disposed  of,  except  things  valued  from  association, 
which  will  be  packed  in  H.'s  office  and  left  with  some 
one  likely  to  stay  through  the  war.  It  is  hardest  to 
leave  the  books. 

Tuesday,  July  8. — We  start  to-morrow.  Packing  the 
trunks  was  a  problem.  Annie  and  I  are  allowed  one 
large  trunk  apiece,  the  gentlemen  a  smaller  one  each, 
and  we  a  light  carpet-sack  apiece  for  toilet  articles.  I 
arrived  with  six  trunks  and  leave  with  one !  We  went 
over  everything  carefully  twice,  rejecting,  trying  to 
shake  off  the  bonds  of  custom  and  get  down  to  primi- 


32         ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

tive  needs.  At  last  we  made  a  judicious  selection. 
Everything  old  or  worn  was  left;  everything  merely 
ornamental,  except  good  lace,  which  was  light.  Gossa 
mer  evening  dresses  were  all  left.  I  calculated  on  taking 
two  or  three  books  that  would  bear  the  most  reading  if 
we  were  again  shut  up  where  none  could  be  had,  and 
so,  of  course,  took  Shakspere  first.  Here  I  was  inter 
rupted  to  go  and  pay  a  farewell  visit,  and  when  we  re 
turned  Max  had  packed  and  nailed  the  cases  of  books 
to  be  left.  Chance  thus  limited  my  choice  to  those  that 
happened  to  be  in  my  room  — "  Paradise  Lost,"  the 
"Arabian  Nights,"  a  volume  of  Macaulay's  History  I 
was  reading,  and  my  prayer-book.  To-day  the  provi 
sions  for  the  trip  were  cooked  :  the  last  of  the  flour  was 
made  into  large  loaves  of  bread;  a  ham  and  several 
dozen  eggs  were  boiled ;  the  few  chickens  that  have 
survived  the  overflow  were  fried ;  the  last  of  the  coffee 
was  parched  and  ground ;  and  the  modicum  of  the  tea 
was  well  corked  up.  Our  friends  across  the  lake  added 
a  jar  of  butter  and  two  of  preserves.  H.  rode  off  to  X. 
after  dinner  to  conclude  some  business  there,  and  I  sat 
down  before  a  table  to  tie  bundles  of  things  to  be  left. 
The  sunset  glowed  and  faded,  and  the  quiet  evening 
came  on  calm  and  starry.  I  sat  by  the  window  till 
evening  deepened  into  night,  and  as  the  moon  rose  I 
still  looked  a  reluctant  farewell  to  the  lovely  lake  and 
the  grand  woods,  till  the  sound  of  H.'s  horse  at  the  gate 
broke  the  spell. 


WAK  DIAKY  OF  A  UNION  WOMAN  IN   THE  SOUTH       33 

IX 

HOMELESS   AND   SHELTERLESS 

Thursday,  July  10.  ( Plantation.) — Yesterday 

about  four  o'clock  we  walked  to  the  lake  and  embarked. 
Provisions  and  utensils  were  packed  in  the  lockers,  and 
a  large  trunk  was  stowed  at  each  end.  The  blankets 
and  cushions  were  placed  against  one  of  them,  and 
Annie  and  I  sat  on  them  Turkish  fashion.  Near  the 
center  the  two  smaller  trunks  made  a  place  for  Beeney. 
Max  and  H.  were  to  take  turns  at  the  rudder  and  oars. 
The  last  word  was  a  fervent  God-speed  from  Mr.  E., 
who  is  left  in  charge  of  all  our  affairs.  We  believe  him 
to  be  a  Union  man,  but  have  never  spoken  of  it  to  him. 
We  were  gloomy  enough  crossing  the  lake,  for  it  was 
evident  the  heavily  laden  boat  would  be  difficult  to 
manage.  Last  night  we  stayed  at  this  plantation,  and 
from  the  window  of  my  room  I  see  the  men  unloading 
the  boat  to  place  it  on  the  cart,  which  a  team  of  oxen 
will  haul  to  the  river.  These  hospitable  people  are 
kindness  itself,  till  you  mention  the  war. 

Saturday,  July  12.  ( Under  a  cotton-shed  on  the  bank  of 
the  Mississippi  Eiver.)  —  Thursday  was  a  lovely  day,  and 
the  sight  of  the  broad  river  exhilarating.  The  negroes 
launched  and  reloaded  the  boat,  and  when  we  had  paid 
them  and  spoken  good-by  to  them  we  felt  we  were 
really  off.  Every  one  had  said  that  if  we  kept  in  the 
current  the  boat  would  almost  go  of  itself,  but  in  fact 
the  current  seemed  to  throw  it  about,  and  hard  pulling 
was  necessary.  The  heat  of  the  sun  was  very  severe, 
and  it  proved  impossible  to  use  an  umbrella  or  any  kind 


34         ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAK 

of  shade,  as  it  made  steering  more  difficult.  Snags  and 
floating  timbers  were  very  troublesome.  Twice  we  hur 
ried  up  to  the  bank  out  of  the  way  of  passing  gunboats, 
but  they  took  no  notice  of  us.  When  we  got  thirsty, 
it  was  found  that  Max  had  set  the  jug  of  water  in  the 
shade  of  a  tree  and  left  it  there.  We  must  dip  up  the 
river  water  or  go  without.  When  it  got  too  dark  to 
travel  safely  we  disembarked.  Eeeney  gathered  wood, 
made  a  fire  and  some  tea,  and  we  had  a  good  supper. 
We  then  divided,  H.  and  I  remaining  to  watch  the  boat, 
Max  and  Annie  on  shore.  She  hung  up  a  mosquito-bar 
to  the  trees  and  went  to  bed  comfortably.  In  the  boat 
the  mosquitos  were  horrible,  but  I  fell  asleep  and  slept 
till  voices  on  the  bank  woke  me.  Annie  was  wander 
ing  disconsolate  round  her  bed,  and  when  I  asked  the 
trouble,  said,  "  Oh,  I  can't  sleep  there !  I  found  a  toad 
and  a  lizard  in  the  bed."  When  dropping  off  again,  H. 
woke  me  to  say  he  was  very  sick ;  he  thought  it  was 
from  drinking  the  river  water.  With  difficulty  I  got  a 
trunk  opened  to  find  some  medicine.  While  doing  so  a 
gunboat  loomed  up  vast  and  gloomy,  and  we  gave  each 
other  a  good  fright.  Our  voices  doubtless  reached  her, 
for  instantly  every  one  of  her  lights  disappeared  and 
she  ran  for  a  few  minutes  along  the  opposite  bank.  We 
momently  expected  a  shell  as  a  feeler. 

At  dawn  next  morning  we  made  coffee  and  a  hasty 
breakfast,  fixed  up  as  well  as  we  could  in  our  sylvan 
dressing-rooms,  and  pushed  on;  for  it  is  settled  that 
traveling  between  eleven  and  two  will  have  to  be  given 
up  unless  we  want  to  be  roasted  alive.  H.  grew  worse. 
He  suffered  terribly,  and  the  rest  of  us  as  much  to  see 
him  pulling  in  such  a  state  of  exhaustion.  Max  would 


WAR  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       35 

not  trust  either  of  us  to  steer.  About  eleven  we 
reached  the  landing  of  a  plantation.  Max  walked  up 
to  the  house  and  returned  with  the  owner,  an  old 
gentleman  living  alone  with  his  slaves.  The  house 
keeper,  a  young  colored  girl,  could  not  be  surpassed 
in  her  graceful  efforts  to  make  us  comfortable  and 
anticipate  every  want.  I  was  so  anxious  about  H.  that 
I  remember  nothing  except  that  the  cold  drinking- 
water  taken  from  a  cistern  beneath  the  building,  into 
which  only  the  winter  rains  were  allowed  to  fall,  was 
like  an  elixir.  They  offered  luscious  peaches  that,  with 
such  water,  were  nectar  and  ambrosia  to  our  parched 
lips.  At  night  the  housekeeper  said  she  was  sorry  they 
had  no  mosquito-bars  ready,  and  hoped  the  mosquitos 
would  not  be  thick,  but  they  came  out  in  legions.  I 
knew  that  on  sleep  that  night  depended  recovery  or 
illness  for  H.,  and  all  possibility  of  proceeding  next 
day.  So  I  sat  up  fanning  away  mosquitos  that  he 
might  sleep,  toppling  over  now  and  then  on  the  pillows 
till  roused  by  his  stirring.  I  contrived  to  keep  this  up 
till,  as  the  chill  before  dawn  came,  they  abated  and  I 
got  a  short  sleep.  Then,  with  the  aid  of  cold  water, 
a  fresh  toilet,  and  a  good  breakfast,  I  braced  up  for 
another  day's  baking  in  the  boat. 

If  I  had  been  well  and  strong  as  usual,  the  discom 
forts  of  such  a  journey  would  not  have  seemed  so 
much  to  me;  but  I  was  still  weak  from  the  effects  of 
the  fever,  and  annoyed  by  a  worrying  toothache  which 
there  had  been  no  dentist  to  rid  me  of  in  our  village. 

Having  paid  and  dismissed  the  boat's  watchman,  we 
started  and  traveled  till  eleven  to-day,  when  we  stopped 
at  this  cotton-shed.  When  our  dais  was  spread  and 


36          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAE 

lunch  laid  out  in  the  cool  breeze,  it  seemed  a  blessed 
spot.  A  good  many  negroes  came  offering  chickens 
and  milk  in  exchange  for  tobacco,  which  we  had  not. 
We  bought  some  milk  with  money. 

A  United  States  transport  just  now  steamed  by,  and 
the  men  on  the  guards  cheered  and  waved  to  us.  We 
all  replied  but  Annie.  Even  Max  was  surprised  into 
an  answering  cheer,  and  I  waved  my  handkerchief 
with  a  very  full  heart  as  the  dear  old  flag  we  had 
not  seen  for  so  long  floated  by;  but  Annie  turned 
her  back. 

Sunday,  July  13.  (Under  a  tree  on  the  east  lank  of  the 
Mississippi.) — Late  on  Saturday  evening  we  reached  a 
plantation  whose  owner  invited  us  to  spend  the  night 
at  his  house.  What  a  delightful  thing  is  courtesy! 
The  first  tone  of  our  host's  welcome  indicated  the  true 
gentleman.  We  never  leave  the  oars  with  the  watch 
man;  Max  takes  these,  Annie  and  I  each  take  a  band 
box,  H.  takes  my  carpet-sack,  and  Eeeney  brings  up 
the  rear  with  Annie's.  It  is  a  funny  procession.  Mr. 
B.'s  family  were  absent,  and  as  we  sat  on  the  gallery 
talking,  it  needed  only  a  few  minutes  to  show  this  was 
a  "Union  man."  His  home  was  elegant  and  tasteful, 
but  even  here  there  was  neither  tea  nor  coffee. 

About  eleven  we  stopped  here  in  this  shady  place. 
While  eating  lunch  the  negroes  again  came  imploring 
for  tobacco.  Soon  an  invitation  came  from  the  house 
for  us  to  come  and  rest.  We  gratefully  accepted,  but 
found  their  idea  of  rest  for  warm,  tired  travelers  was 
to  sit  in  the  parlor  on  stiff  chairs  while  the  whole 
family  trooped  in,  cool  and  clean  in  fresh  toilets,  to 
stare  and  question.  We  soon  returned  to  the  trees; 


WAK  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       37 

however,  they  kindly  offered  corn-meal  pound-cake  and 
beer,  which  were  excellent. 

Eight  gunboats  and  one  transport  have  passed  us. 
Getting  out  of  their  way  has  been  troublesome.  Our 
gentlemen's  hands  are  badly  blistered. 

Tuesday,  July  15. —  Sunday  night  about  ten  we 
reached  the  place  where,  according  to  our  map,  Steele's 
Bayou  conies  nearest  to  the  Mississippi,  and  where  the 
landing  should  be;  but  when  we  climbed  the  steep  bank 
there  was  no  sign  of  habitation.  Max  walked  off  into 
the  woods  on  a  search,  and  was  gone  so  long  we  feared 
he  had  lost  his  way.  He  could  find  no  road.  H.  sug 
gested  shouting,  and  both  began.  At  last  a  distant 
halloo  replied,  and  by  cries  the  answerer  was  guided 
to  us.  A  negro  came  forward  and  said  that  was  the 
right  place,  his  master  kept  the  landing,  and  he  would 
watch  the  boat  for  five  dollars.  He  showed  the  road, 
and  said  his  master's  house  was  one  mile  off  and 
another  house  two  miles.  We  mistook,  and  went  to 
the  one  two  miles  off.  At  one  o'clock  we  reached  Mr. 
Fetler's,  who  was  pleasant,  and  said  we  should  have 
the  best  he  had.  The  bed  into  whose  grateful  softness 
I  sank  was  piled  with  mattresses  to  within  two  or  three 
feet  of  the  ceiling ;  and,  with  no  step-ladder,  getting  in 
and  out  was  a  problem.  This  morning  we  noticed  the 
high-water  mark,  four  feet  above  the  lower  floor.  Mrs. 
Petler  said  they  had  lived  up-stairs  several  weeks. 


38          ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 


FEIGHTS  AND  PERILS   IN   STEELE'S  BAYOU 

Wednesday,  July  16.  (Under  a  tree  on  the  lank  of 
Steele's  Bayou.) — Early  this  morning  our  boat  was  taken 
out  of  the  Mississippi  and  put  on  Mr.  Fetler's  ox-cart. 
After  breakfast  we  followed  on  foot.  The  walk  in  the 
woods  was  so  delightful  that  all  were  disappointed  when 
a  silvery  gleam  through  the  trees  showed  the  bayou 
sweeping  along,  full  to  the  banks,  with  dense  forest 
trees  almost  meeting  over  it.  The  boat  was  launched, 
calked,  and  reloaded,  and  we  were  off  again.  Toward 
noon  the  sound  of  distant  cannon  began  to  echo  around, 
probably  from  Vicksburg  again.  About  the  same  time 
we  began  to  encounter  rafts.  To  get  around  them  re 
quired  us  to  push  through  brush  so  thick  that  we  had 
to  lie  down  in  the  boat.  The  banks  were  steep  and  the 
land  on  each  side  a  bog.  About  one  o'clock  we  reached 
this  clear  space  with  dry  shelving  banks,  and  disem 
barked  to  eat  lunch.  To  our  surprise  a  neatly  dressed 
woman  came  tripping  down  the  declivity,  bringing  a 
basket.  She  said  she  lived  above  and  had  seen  our 
boat.  Her  husband  was  in  the  army,  and  we  were  the 
first  white  people  she  had  talked  to  for  a  long  while. 
She  offered  some  corn-meal  pound-cake  and  beer,  and  as 
she  climbed  back  told  us  to  "  look  out  for  the  rapids." 
H.  is  putting  the  boat  in  order  for  our  start,  and  says 
she  is  waving  good-by  from  the  bluff  above. 

Thursday,  July  17.  (On  a  raft  in  Steeled  Bayou.}  — 
Yesterday  we  went  on  nicely  awhile,  and  at  afternoon 
came  to  a  strange  region  of  rafts,  extending  about  three 


WAK  DIAKY  OF  A  UNION  WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       39 

miles,  on  which  persons  were  living.  Many  saluted  us, 
saying  they  had  run  away  from  Vicksburg  at  the  first 
attempt  of  the  fleet  to  shell  it.  On  one  of  these  rafts, 
about  twelve  feet  square,1  bagging  had  been  hung  up  to 
form  three  sides  of  a  tent.  A  bed  was  in  one  corner, 
and  on  a  low  chair,  with  her  provisions  in  jars  and 
boxes  grouped  round  her,  sat  an  old  woman  feeding  a 
lot  of  chickens. 

Having  moonlight,  we  had  intended  to  travel  till  late. 
But  about  ten  o'clock,  the  boat  beginning  to  go  with 
great  speed,  H.,  who  was  steering,  called  to  Max : 

"  Don't  row  so  fast ;  we  may  run  against  something." 

"  I  'm  hardly  pulling  at  all." 

"  Then  we  're  in  what  she  called  the  rapids ! " 

The  stream  seemed  indeed  to  slope  downward,  and  in 
a  minute  a  dark  line  was  visible  ahead.  Max  tried  to 
turn,  but  could  not,  and  in  a  second  more  we  dashed 
against  this  immense  raft,  only  saved  from  breaking 
up  by  the  men's  quickness.  We  got  out  upon  it  and 
ate  supper.  Then,  as  the  boat  was  leaking  and  the 
current  swinging  it  against  the  raft,  H.  and  Max  thought 
it  safer  to  watch  all  night,  but  told  us  to  go  to  sleep.  It 
was  a  strange  spot  to  sleep  in — a  raft  in  the  middle  of 
a  boiling  stream,  with  a  wilderness  stretching  on  either 
side.  The  moon  made  ghostly  shadows,  and  showed  H., 
sitting  still  as  a  ghost,  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  while 
mingled  with  the  gurgle  of  the  water  round  the  raft 
beneath  was  the  boom  of  cannon  in  the  air,  solemnly 
breaking  the  silence  of  night.  It  drizzled  now  and  then, 
and  the  mosquitos  swarmed  over  us.  My  fan  and 
umbrella  had  been  knocked  overboard,  so  I  had  no 

l  More  likely  twelve  yards.— G.  W.  C. 


40          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

weapon  against  them.  Fatigue,  however,  overcomes 
everything,  and  I  contrived  to  sleep. 

H.  roused  us  at  dawn.  Reeney  found  lightwood 
enough  on  the  raft  to  make  a  good  fire  for  coffee,  which 
never  tasted  better.  Then  all  hands  assisted  in  unload 
ing;  a  rope  was  fastened  to  the  boat,  Max  got  in,  H. 
held  the  rope  on  the  raft,  and,  by  much  pulling  and 
pushing,  it  was  forced  through  a  narrow  passage  to  the 
farther  side.  Here  it  had  to  be  calked,  and  while  that 
was  being  done  we  improvised  a  dressing-room  in  the 
shadow  of  our  big  trunks.  During  the  trip  I  had  to 
keep  the  time,  therefore  properly  to  secure  belt  and 
watch  was  always  an  anxious  part  of  my  toilet.  The 
boat  is  now  repacked,  and  while  Annie  and  Reeney  are 
washing  cups  I  have  scribbled,  wishing  much  that  mine 
were  the  hand  of  an  artist. 

Friday  morn,  July  18.  (House  of  Colonel  K.,  on  Yazoo 
Ewer.) — After  leaving  the  raft  yesterday  all  went  well 
till  noon,  when  we  came  to  a  narrow  place  where  an 
immense  tree  lay  clear  across  the  stream.  It  seemed 
the  insurmountable  obstacle  at  last.  We  sat  despairing 
what  to  do,  when  a  man  appeared  beside  us  in  a  pirogue. 
So  sudden,  so  silent  was  his  arrival  that  we  were  thrilled 
with  surprise.  He  said  if  we  had  a  hatchet  he  could 
help  us.  His  fairy  bark  floated  in  among  the  branches 
like  a  bubble,  and  he  soon  chopped  a  path  for  us,  and 
was  delighted  to  get  some  matches  in  return.  He  said 
the  cannon  we  heard  yesterday  were  in  an  engagement 
with  the  ram  Arkansas,  which  ran  out  of  the  Yazoo 
that  morning.  We  did  not  stop  for  dinner  to-day,  but 
ate  a  hasty  lunch  in  the  boat,  after  which  nothing  but 
a  small  piece  of  bread  was  left.  About  two  we  reached 


WAK  DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        41 

the  forks,  one  of  which  ran  to  the  Yazoo,  the  other  to 
the  Old  River.  Max  said  the  right  fork  was  our  road ; 
H.  said  the  left,  that  there  was  an  error  in  Max's  map ; 
but  Max  steered  into  the  right  fork.  After  pulling  about 
three  miles  he  admitted  his  mistake  and  turned  back ; 
but  I  shall  never  forget  Old  River.  It  was  the  vision 
of  a  drowned  world,  an  illimitable  waste  of  dead  waters, 
stretching  into  a  great,  silent,  desolate  forest. 

Just  as  we  turned  into  the  right  way,  down  came  the 
rain  so  hard  and  fast  we  had  to  stop  on  the  bank.  It 
defied  trees  or  umbrellas,  and  nearly  took  away  the 
breath.  The  boat  began  to  fill,  and  all  five  of  us  had 
to  bail  as  fast  as  possible  for  the  half -hour  the  sheet  of 
water  was  pouring  down.  As  it  abated  a  cold  breeze 
sprang  up  that,  striking  our  clothes,  chilled  us  to  the 
bone.  All  were  shivering  and  blue — no,  I  was  green. 
Before  leaving  Mr.  Fetler's  Wednesday  morning  I  had 
donned  a  dark-green  calico.  I  wiped  my  face  with  a 
handkerchief  out  of  my  pocket,  and  face  and  hands 
were  all  dyed  a  deep  green.  When  Annie  turned  round 
and  looked  at  me  she  screamed,  and  I  realized  how  I 
looked ;  but  she  was  not  much  better,  for  of  all  dejected 
things  wet  feathers  are  the  worst,  and  the  plumes  in 
her  hat  were  painful. 

About  five  we  reached  Colonel  K.'s  house,  right 
where  Steele's  Bayou  empties  into  the  Yazoo.  We  had 
both  to  be  fairly  dragged  out  of  the  boat,  so  cramped 
and  weighted  were  we  by  wet  skirts.  The  family  were 
absent,  and  the  house  was  headquarters  for  a  squad  of 
Confederate  cavalry,  which  was  also  absent.  The  old 
colored  housekeeper  received  us  kindly,  and  lighted 
fires  in  our  rooms  to  dry  the  clothing.  My  trunk  had 


42          ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

got  cracked  on  top,  and  all  the  clothing  to  be  got 
at  was  wet.  H.  had  dropped  his  in  the  river  while 
lifting  it  out,  and  his  clothes  were  wet.  A  spoonful  of 
brandy  apiece  was  left  in  the  little  flask,  and  I  felt  that 
mine  saved  me  from  being  ill.  Warm  blankets  and  the 
brandy  revived  us,  and  by  supper-time  we  got  into 
some  dry  clothes. 

Just  then  the  squad  of  cavalry  returned ;  they  were 
only  a  dozen,  but  they  made  much  uproar,  being  in 
great  excitement.  Some  of  them  were  known  to  Max 
and  H.,  who  learned  from  them  that  a  gunboat  was 
coming  to  shell  them  out  of  this  house.  Then  ensued 
a  clatter  such  as  twelve  men  surely  never  made  be 
fore —  rattling  about  the  halls  and  galleries  in  heavy 
boots  and  spurs,  feeding  horses,  calling  for  supper, 
clanking  swords,  buckling  and  unbuckling  belts  and 
pistols.  At  last  supper  was  despatched,  and  they 
mounted  and  were  gone  like  the  wind.  We  had  a  quiet 
supper  and  a  good  night's  rest  in  spite  of  the  expected 
shells,  and  did  not  wake  till  ten  to-day  to  realize  we 
were  not  killed.  About  eleven  breakfast  was  furnished. 
Now  we  are  waiting  till  the  rest  of  our  things  are  dried 
to  start  on  our  last  day  of  travel  by  water. 

Sunday,  July  20. — A  little  way  down  the  Yazoo  on 
Friday  we  ran  into  McNutt's  Lake,  thence  into  Chicka- 
saw  Bayou,  and  at  dark  landed  at  Mrs.  C.7s  farm,  the 
nearest  neighbors  of  H.'s  uncle.  The  house  was  full  of 
Confederate  sick,  friends  from  Vicksburg,  and  while 
we  ate  supper  all  present  poured  out  the  story  of  the 
shelling  and  all  that  was  to  be  done  at  Vicksburg. 
Then  our  stuff  was  taken  from  the  boat,  and  we  finally 
abandoned  the  stanch  little  craft  that  had  carried  us 


WAK  DIAEY  OF  A  UNION  WOMAN  IN   THE   SOUTH       43 

for  over  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  in  a  trip 
occupying  nine  days.  The  luggage  in  a  wagon,  and 
ourselves  packed  in  a  buggy,  were  driven  for  four  or 
five  miles,  over  the  roughest  road  I  ever  traveled,  to 
the  farm  of  Mr.  B.,  H.'s  uncle,  where  we  arrived  at  mid 
night  and  hastened  to  hide  in  bed  the  utter  exhaustion 
of  mind  and  body.  Yesterday  we  were  too  tired  to 
think,  or  to  do  anything  but  eat  peaches. 


XI 

WILD  TIMES  IN  MISSISSIPPI 

THIS  morning  there  was  a  most  painful  scene. 
Annie's  father  came  into  Vicksburg,  ten  miles  from 
here,  and  learned  of  our  arrival  from  Mrs.  C.'s  messen 
ger.  He  sent  out  a  carriage  to  bring  Annie  and  Max 
to  town  that  they  might  go  home  with  him,  and  with  it 
came  a  letter  for  me  from  friends  on  the  Jackson  Rail 
road,  written  many  weeks  before.  They  had  heard  that 
our  village  home  was  under  water,  and  invited  us  to 
visit  them.  The  letter  had  been  sent  to  Annie's  people 
to  forward,  and  thus  had  reached  us.  This  decided  H., 
as  the  place  was  near  New  Orleans,  to  go  there  and 
wait  the  chance  of  getting  into  that  city.  Max,  when 
he  heard  this  from  H.,  lost  all  self-control  and  cried  like 
a  baby.  He  stalked  about  the  garden  in  the  most 
tragic  manner,  exclaiming : 

"  Oh !  my  soul's  brother  from  youth  up  is  a  traitor ! 
A  traitor  to  his  country ! " 

Then  H.  got  angry  and  said,  "  Max,  don't  be  a  fool." 


44          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

"Who  has  done  this?"  bawled  Max.  "You  felt 
with  the  South  at  first ;  who  has  changed  you  1 " 

"  Of  course  I  feeler  the  South  now,  and  nobody  has 
changed  me  but  the  logic  of  events,  though  the  twenty- 
negro  law  has  intensified  my  opinions.  I  can't  see  why 
I,  who  have  no  slaves,  must  go  to  fight  for  them,  while 
every  man  who  has  twenty  may  stay  at  home." 

I  also  tried  to  reason  with  Max  and  pour  oil  on  his 
wound.  "Max,  what  interest  has  a  man  like  you, 
without  slaves,  in  a  war  for  slavery  ?  Even  if  you  had 
them,  they  would  not  be  your  best  property.  That  lies 
in  your  country  and  its  resources.  Nearly  all  the  world 
has  given  up  slavery ;  why  can't  the  South  do  the  same 
and  end  the  struggle.  It  has  shown  you  what  the 
South  needs,  and  if  all  went  to  work  with  united 
hands  the  South  would  soon  be  the  greatest  country  on 
earth.  You  have  no  right  to  call  H.  a  traitor ;  it  is  we 
who  are  the  true  patriots  and  lovers  of  the  South." 

This  had  to  come,  but  it  has  upset  us  both.  H.  is 
deeply  attached  to  Max,  and  I  can't  bear  to  see  a  cloud 
between  them.  Max,  with  Annie  and  Reeney,  drove 
off  an  hour  ago,  Annie  so  glad  at  the  prospect  of 
again  seeing  her  mother  that  nothing  could  cloud  her 
day.  And  so  the  close  companionship  of  six  months, 
and  of  dangers,  trials,  and  pleasures  shared  together, 
is  over. 

Oak  Ridge,  July  26,  Saturday. — It  was  not  till  Wed 
nesday  that  H.  could  get  into  Vicksburg,  ten  miles 
distant,  for  a  passport,  without  which  we  could  not  go 
on  the  cars.  We  started  Thursday  morning.  I  had  to 
ride  seven  miles  on  a  hard-trotting  horse  to  the  nearest 
station.  The  day  was  burning  at  white  heat.  When 


WAR   DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       45 

the  station  was  reached  my  hair  was  down,  my  hat  on 
my  neck,  and  my  feelings  were  indescribable. 

On  the  train  one  seemed  to  be  right  in  the  stream  of 
war,  among  officers,  soldiers,  sick  men  and  cripples, 
adieus,  tears,  laughter,  constant  chatter,  and,  strangest 
of  all,  sentinels  posted  at  the  locked  car  doors  demand 
ing  passports.  There  was  no  train  south  from  Jackson 
that  day,  so  we  put  up  at  the  Bowman  House.  The 
excitement  was  indescribable.  All  the  world  appeared 
to  be  traveling  through  Jackson.  People  were  besieg 
ing  the  two  hotels,  offering  enormous  prices  for  the 
privilege  of  sleeping  anywhere  under  a  roof.  There 
were  many  refugees  from  New  Orleans,  among  them 
some  acquaintances  of  mine.  The  peculiar  styles  of 
[women's]  dress  necessitated  by  the  exigencies  of  war 
gave  the  crowd  a  very  striking  appearance.  In  single 
suits  I  saw  sleeves  of  one  color,  the  waist  of  another, 
the  skirt  of  another;  scarlet  jackets  and  gray  skirts; 
black  waists  and  blue  skirts;  black  skirts  and  gray 
waists;  the  trimming  chiefly  gold  braid  and  buttons, 
to  give  a  military  air.  The  gray  and  gold  uniforms  of 
the  officers,  glittering  between,  made  up  a  carnival  of 
color.  Every  moment  we  saw  strange  meetings  and 
partings  of  people  from  all  over  the  South.  Conditions 
of  time,  space,  locality,  and  estate  were  all  loosened; 
everybody  seemed  floating  he  knew  not  whither,  but 
determined  to  be  jolly,  and  keep  up  an  excitement.  At 
supper  we  had  tough  steak,  heavy,  dirty-looking  bread, 
Confederate  coffee.  The  coffee  was  made  of  either 
parched  rye  or  corn-meal,  or  of  sweet  potatoes  cut  in 
small  cubes  and  roasted.  This  was  the  favorite.  When 
flavored  with  "coffee  essence,"  sweetened  with  sor- 


46          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL,  WAB 

ghum,  and  tinctured  with  chalky  milk,  it  made  a 
curious  beverage  which,  after  tasting,  I  preferred  not 
to  drink.  Every  one  else  was  drinking  it,  and  an 
acquaintance  said,  "Oh,  you  '11  get  bravely  over  that. 
I  used  to  be  a  Jewess  about  pork,  but  now  we  just 
kill  a  hog  and  eat  it,  and  kill  another  and  do  the  same. 
It  's  all  we  have." 

Friday  morning  we  took  the  down  train  for  the 
station  near  my  friend's  house.  At  every  station  we 
had  to  go  through  the  examination  of  passes,  as  if  in  a 
foreign  country. 

The  conscript  camp  was  at  Brookhaven,  and  every 
man  had  been  ordered  to  report  there  or  to  be  treated 
as  a  deserter.  At  every  station  I  shivered  mentally, 
expecting  H.  to  be  dragged  off.  Brookhaven  was  also 
the  station  for  dinner.  I  choked  mine  down,  feeling 
the  sword  hanging  over  me  by  a  single  hair.  At  sunset 
we  reached  our  station.  The  landlady  was  pouring 
tea  when  we  took  our  seats,  and  I  expected  a  treat,  but 
when  I  tasted  it  was  sassafras  tea,  the  very  odor  of 
which  sickens  me.  There  was  a  general  surprise  when 
I  asked  to  exchange  it  for  a  glass  of  water;  every  one 
was  drinking  it  as  if  it  were  nectar.  This  morning  we 
drove  out  here. 

My  friend's  little  nest  is  calm  in  contrast  to  the 
tumult  not  far  off.  Yet  the  trials  of  war  are  here  too. 
Having  no  matches,  they  keep  fire,  carefully  covering 
it  at  night,  for  Mr.  Gr.  has  no  powder,  arid  cannot  flash 
the  gun  into  combustibles  as  some  do.  One  day  they 
had  to  go  with  the  children  to  the  village,  and  the 
servant  let  the  fire  go  out.  When  they  returned  at 
nightfall,  wet  and  hungry,  there  was  neither  fire  nor 


WAK  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        47 

food.  Mr.  Gr.  had  to  saddle  the  tired  mule  and  ride 
three  miles  for  a  pan  of  coals,  and  blow  them,  all  the 
way  back,  to  keep  them  alight.  Crockery  has  gradually 
been  broken  and  tin  cups  rusted  out,  and  a  visitor  told 
me  they  had  made  tumblers  out  of  clear  glass  bottles 
by  cutting  them  smooth  with  a  heated  wire,  and  that 
they  had  nothing  else  to  drink  from. 

Aug.  11. — We  cannot  get  to  New  Orleans.  A  special 
passport  must  be  shown,  and  we  are  told  that  to  apply 
for  it  would  render  H.  very  likely  to  be  conscripted. 
I  begged  him  not  to  try;  and  as  we  hear  that  active 
hostilities  have  ceased  at  Vicksburg,  he  left  me  this 
morning  to  return  to  his  uncle's  and  see  what  the  pros 
pects  are  there.  I  shall  be  in  misery  about  conscription 
till  he  returns. 

Sunday,  Sept.  1.  (Vicksburg,  Washington  Hotel.) — H. 
did  not  return  for  three  weeks.  An  epidemic  disease 
broke  out  in  his  uncle's  family  and  two  children  died. 
He  stayed  to  assist  them  in  their  trouble.  Tuesday 
evening  he  returned  for  me,  and  we  reached  Vicksburg 
yesterday.  It  was  my  first  sight  of  the  "Gibraltar  of 
the  South."  Looking  at  it  from  a  slight  elevation 
suggests  the  idea  that  the  fragments  left  from  world- 
building  had  tumbled  into  a  confused  mass  of  hills, 
hollows,  hillocks,  banks,  ditches,  and  ravines,  and  that 
the  houses  had  rained  down  afterward.  Over  all  there 
was  dust  impossible  to  conceive.  The  bombardment 
has  done  little  injury.  People  have  returned  and  re 
sumed  business.  A  gentleman  asked  H.  if  he  knew  of 
a  nice  girl  for  sale.  I  asked  if  he  did  not  think  it 
impolitic  to  buy  slaves  now. 

"  Oh,  not  young  ones.    Old  ones  might  run  off  when 


48         ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

the  enemy's  lines  approach  ours,  but  with  young  ones 
there  is  no  danger." 

"We  had  not  been  many  hours  in  town  before  a  posi 
tion  was  offered  to  H.  which  seemed  providential.  The 
chief  of  a  certain  department  was  in  ill  health  and 
wanted  a  deputy.  It  secures  him  from  conscription, 
requires  no  oath,  and  pays  a  good  salary.  A  mountain 
seemed  lifted  off  my  heart. 

Thursday,  Sept.  18.  (Thanksgiving  Day.)~We  stayed 
three  days  at  the  Washington  Hotel  ;  then  a  friend  of 
H.'s  called  and  told  him  to  come  to  his  house  till  he 
could  find  a  home.  Boarding-houses  have  all  been 
broken  up,  and  the  army  has  occupied  the  few  houses 
that  were  for  rent.  To-day  H.  secured  a  vacant  room 
for  two  weeks  in  the  only  boarding-house. 

Oak  Haven,  Oct.  3.  —  To  get  a  house  in  V.  proved  im 
possible,  so  we  agreed  to  part  for  a  time  till  H.  could 
find  one.  A  friend  recommended  this  quiet  farm,  six 
miles  from  -  [a  station  on  the  Jackson  Railroad]. 
On  last  Saturday  H.  came  with  me  as  far  as  Jackson 
and  put  me  on  the  other  train  for  the  station. 

On  my  way  hither  a  lady,  whom  I  judged  to  be  a 
Confederate  u  blockade-runner,"  told  me  of  the  tricks 
resorted  to  to  get  things  out  of  New  Orleans,  including 
this  :  A  very  large  doll  was  emptied  of  its  bran,  filled 
with  quinine,  and  elaborately  dressed.  When  the 
owner's  trunk  was  opened,  she  declared  with  tears  that 
the  doll  was  for  a  poor  crippled  girl,  and  it  was  passed. 

This  farm  of  Mr.  W.'s1  is  kept  with  about  forty  ne- 


this  plantation,  and  in  this  domestic  circle,  I  myself  afterward 
sojourned,  and  from  them  enlisted  in  the  army.  The  initials  are  fictitious, 
but  the  description  is  perfect.  —  G.  W.  C. 


WAK   DIAEY  OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       49 

groes.  Mr.  W.,  nearly  sixty,  is  the  only  white  man  on  it. 
He  seems  to  have  been  wiser  in  the  beginning  than  most 
others,  and  curtailed  his  cotton  to  make  room  for  rye, 
rice,  and  corn.  There  is  a  large  vegetable-garden  and 
orchard;  he  has  bought  plenty  of  stock  for  beef  and 
mutton,  and  laid  in  a  large  supply  of  sugar.  He  must 
also  have  plenty  of  ammunition,  for  a  man  is  kept 
hunting  and  supplies  the  table  with  delicious  wild  tur 
keys  and  other  game.  There  is  abundance  of  milk  and 
butter,  hives  for  honey,  and  no  end  of  pigs.  Chickens 
seem  to  be  kept  like  game  in  parks,  for  I  never  see  any, 
but  the  hunter  shoots  them,  and  eggs  are  plentiful. 
We  have  chicken  for  breakfast,  dinner,  and  supper, 
fried,  stewed,  broiled,  and  in  soup,  and  there  is  a  family 
of  ten.  Luckily  I  never  tire  of  it.  They  make  starch 
out  of  corn-meal  by  washing  the  meal  repeatedly, 
pouring  off  the  water,  and  drying  the  sediment.  Truly 
the  uses  of  corn  in  the  Confederacy  are  varied.  It 
makes  coffee,  beer,  whisky,  starch,  cake,  bread.  The 
only  privations  here  are  the  lack  of  coffee,  tea,  salt, 
matches,  and  good  candles.  Mr.  W.  is  now  having  the 
dirt  floor  of  his  smoke-house  dug  up  and  boiling  from 
it  the  salt  that  has  dripped  into  it  for  years.  To-day 
Mrs.  W.  made  tea  out  of  dried  blackberry  leaves,  but 
no  one  liked  it.  The  beds,  made  out  of  equal  parts  of 
cotton  and  corn-shucks,  are  the  most  elastic  I  ever 
slept  in.  The  servants  are  dressed  in  gray  homespun. 
Hester,  the  chambermaid,  has  a  gray  gown  so  pretty 
that  I  covet  one  like  it.  Mrs.  W.  is  now  arranging 
dyes  for  the  thread  to  be  woven  into  dresses  for  herself 
and  the  girls.  Sometimes  her  hands  are  a  curiosity. 
The  school  at  the  nearest  town  is  broken  up,  and 


50          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

Mrs.  W.  says  the  children  are  growing  up  heathens. 
Mr.  W.  has  offered  me  a  liberal  price  to  give  the  chil 
dren  lessons  in  English  and  French,  and  I  have 
accepted  transiently. 

Oct.  28. — It  is  a  month  to-day  since  I  came  here.  I 
only  wish  H.  could  share  these  benefits — the  nourish 
ing  food,  the  pure  aromatic  air,  the  sound  sleep  away 
from  the  fevered  life  of  Vicksburg.  He  sends  me  all 
the  papers  he  can  get  hold  of,  and  we  both  watch  care 
fully  the  movements  reported  lest  an  army  should  get 
between  us.  The  days  are  full  of  useful  work,  and  in 
the  lovely  afternoons  I  take  long  walks  with  a  big  dog 
for  company.  The  girls  do  not  care  for  walking.  In 
the  evening  Mr.  W.  begs  me  to  read  aloud  all  the  war 
news.  He  is  fond  of  the  "Memphis  Appeal,"  which 
has  moved  from  town  to  town  so  much  that  they  call 
it  the  "  Moving  Appeal."  I  sit  in  a  low  chair  by  the 
fire,  as  we  have  no  other  light  to  read  by.  Sometimes 
traveling  soldiers  stop  here,  but  that  is  rare. 

Oct.  31. — Mr.  W.  said  last  night  the  farmers  felt  un 
easy  about  the  "  Emancipation  Proclamation  "  to  take 
effect  in  December.  The  slaves  have  found  it  out, 
though  it  had  been  carefully  kept  from  them. 

"  Do  yours  know  it  ? "  I  asked. 

"  Oh,  yes.  Finding  it  to  be  known  elsewhere,  I  told 
it  to  mine  with  fair  warning  what  to  expect  if  they 
tried  to  run  away.  The  hounds  are  not  far  off." 

The  need  of  clothing  for  their  armies  is  worrying 
them  too.  I  never  saw  Mrs.  W.  so  excited  as  on  last 
evening.  She  said  the  provost-marshal  at  the  next 
town  had  ordered  the  women  to  knit  so  many  pairs  of 
socks. 


WAR   DIAEY   OF   A    UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE    SOUTH       51 

"  Just  let  him  try  to  enforce  it  and  they  will  cowhide 
him.  He  '11  get  none  from  me.  I  '11  take  care  of  my 
own  friends  without  an  order  from  him." 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  W.,  "if  the  South  is  defeated  and 
the  slaves  set  free,  the  Southern  people  will  all  become 
atheists;  for  the  Bible  justifies  slavery  and  says  it  shall 
be  perpetual." 

"You  mean,  if  the  Lord  does  not  agree  with  you, 
you  '11  repudiate  him." 

"  Well,  we  '11  feel  it 's  no  use  to  believe  in  anything." 

At  night  the  large  sitting-room  makes  a  striking 
picture.  Mr.  W.,  spare,  erect,  gray-headed,  patriarchal, 
sits  in  his  big  chair  by  the  odorous  fire  of  pine  logs 
and  knots  roaring  up  the  vast  fireplace.  His  driver 
brings  to  him  the  report  of  the  day's  picking  and  a 
basket  of  snowy  cotton  for  the  spinning.  The  hunter 
brings  in  the  game.  I  sit  on  the  other  side  to  read. 
The  great  spinning-wheels  stand  at  the  other  end  of 
the  room,  and  Mrs.  W.  and  her  black  satellites,  the 
elderly  women  with  their  heads  in  bright  bandanas,  are 
hard  at  work.  Slender  and  auburn-haired,  she  steps 
back  and  forth  out  of  shadow  into  shine  following 
the  thread  with  graceful  movements.  Some  card  the 
cotton,  some  reel  it  into  hanks.  Over  all  the  firelight 
glances,  now  touching  the  golden  curls  of  little  John 
toddling  about,  now  the  brown  heads  of  the  girls  stoop 
ing  over  their  books,  now  the  shadowy  figure  of  little 
Jule,  the  girl  whose  duty  it  is  to  supply  the  fire  with 
rich  pine  to  keep  up  the  vivid  light.  If  they  would 
only  let  the  child  sit  down!  But  that  is  not  allowed, 
and  she  gets  sleepy  and  stumbles  and  knocks  her  head 
against  the  wall  and  then  straightens  up  again.  When 


52         ADVENTUKES   AND    ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

that  happens  often  it  drives  me  off.  Sometimes  while 
I  read  the  bright  room  fades  and  a  vision  rises  of 
figures  clad  in  gray  and  blue  lying  pale  and  stiff  on 
the  blood-sprinkled  ground. 

Nov.  15. — Yesterday  a  letter  was  handed  me  from  H. 
Grant's  army  was  moving,  he  wrote,  steadily  down  the 
Mississippi  Central,  and  might  cut  the  road  at  Jack 
son.  He  has  a  house  and  will  meet  me  in  Jackson 
to-morrow. 

Nov.  20.  (Vicksburg.) — A  fair  morning  for  my  jour 
ney  back  to  Vicksburg.  On  the  train  was  the  gentle 
man  who  in  New  Orleans  had  told  us  we  should  have 
all  the  butter  we  wanted  from  Texas.  On  the  cars,  as 
elsewhere,  the  question  of  food  alternated  with  news 
of  the  war. 

When  we  ran  into  the  Jackson  station,  H.  was  on  the 
platform,  and  I  gladly  learned  that  we  could  go  right 
on.  A  runaway  negro,  an  old  man,  ashy-colored  from 
fright  and  exhaustion,  with  his  hands  chained,  was 
being  dragged  along  by  a  common-looking  man.  Just 
as  we  started  out  of  Jackson  the  conductor  led  in  a 
young  woman  sobbing  in  a  heartbroken  manner.  Her 
grief  seemed  so  overpowering,  and  she  was  so  young 
and  helpless,  that  every  one  was  interested.  Her  hus 
band  went  into  the  army  in  the  opening  of  the  war, 
just  after  their  marriage,  and  she  had  never  heard  from 
him  since.  After  months  of  weary  searching  she 
learned  he  had  been  heard  of  at  Jackson,  and  came 
full  of  hope,  but  found  no  clue.  The  sudden  breaking 
down  of  her  hope  was  terrible.  The  conductor  placed 
her  in  care  of  a  gentleman  going  her  way  and  left  her 
sobbing.  At  the  next  station  the  conductor  came  to 


WAE  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        53 

ask  her  about  her  baggage.  She  raised  her  head  to  try 
and  answer.  "Don't  cry  so;  you  '11  find  him  yet."  She 
gave  a  start,  jumped  from  her  seat  with  arms  flung  out 
and  eyes  staring.  "  There  he  is  now!"  she  cried.  Her 
husband  stood  before  her. 

The  gentleman  beside  her  yielded  his  seat,  and  as 
hand  grasped  hand  a  hysterical  gurgle  gave  place  to  a 
look  like  Heaven's  peace.  The  low  murmur  of  their 
talk  began,  and  when  I  looked  around  at  the  next 
station  they  had  bought  pies  and  were  eating  them 
together  like  happy  children. 

Midway  between  Jackson  and  Yicksburg  we  reached 
the  station  near  where  Annie's  parents  were  staying. 
I  looked  out,  and  there  stood  Annie  with  a  little  sister 
on  each  side  of  her,  brightly  smiling  at  us.  Max  had 
written  to  H.,  but  we  had  not  seen  them  since  our 
parting.  There  was  only  time  for  a  word  and  the  train 
flashed  away. 

XII 

VICKSBUKG 

WE  reached  Vicksburg  that  night  and  went  to  H.'s 
room.  Next  morning  the  cook  he  had  engaged  arrived, 
and  we  moved  into  this  house.  Martha's  ignorance 
keeps  me  busy,  and  H.  is  kept  close  at  his  office. 

January  7,  1863. — I  have  had  little  to  record  here 
recently,  for  we  have  lived  to  ourselves,  not  visiting  or 
visited.  Every  one  H.  knows  is  absent,  and  I  know 
no  one  but  the  family  we  stayed  with  at  first,  and  they 
are  now  absent.  H.  tells  me  of  the  added  triumph 


54          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

since  the  repulse  of  Sherman  in  December,  and  the 
one  paper  published  here  shouts  victory  as  much  as 
its  gradually  diminishing  size  will  allow.  Paper  is  a 
serious  want.  There  is  a  great  demand  for  envelops 
in  the  office  where  H.  is.  He  found  and  bought  a  lot 
of  thick  and  smooth  colored  paper,  cut  a  tin  pattern, 
and  we  have  whiled  away  some  long  evenings  cutting 
envelops  and  making  them  up.  I  have  put  away  a 
package  of  the  best  to  look  at  when  we  are  old.  The 
books  I  brought  from  Arkansas  have  proved  a  trea 
sure,  but  we  can  get  no  more.  I  went  to  the  only 
book-store  open;  there  were  none  but  Mrs.  Stowe's 
"  Sunny  Memories  of  Foreign  Lands."  The  clerk  said 
I  could  have  that  cheap,  because  he  could  n't  sell  her 
books,  so  I  got  it  and  am  reading  it  now.  The  monot 
ony  has  only  been  broken  by  letters  from  friends  here 
and  there  in  the  Confederacy.  One  of  these  letters 
tells  of  a  Federal  raid  to  their  place,  and  says:  "But 
the  worst  thing  was,  they  would  take  every  tooth 
brush  in  the  house,  because  we  can't  buy  any  more; 
and  one  cavalryman  put  my  sister's  new  bonnet  on 
his  horse,  and  said,  'Gret  up,  Jack,'  and  her  bonnet 
was  gone." 

February  25. — A  long  gap  in  my  journal,  because  H. 
has  been  ill  unto  death  with  typhoid  fever,  and  I 
nearly  broke  down  from  loss  of  sleep,  there  being  no 
one  to  relieve  me.  I  never  understood  before  how 
terrible  it  was  to  be  alone  at  night  with  a  patient  in 
delirium,  and  no  one  within  call.  To  wake  Martha 
was  simply  impossible.  I  got  the  best  doctor  here, 
but  when  convalescence  began  the  question  of  food 
was  a  trial.  I  got  with  great  difficulty  two  chickens. 


WAR  DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN    THE   SOUTH       55 

The  doctor  made  the  drug-store  sell  two  of  their  six 
bottles  of  port;  he  said  his  patient's  life  depended 
on  it.  An  egg  is  a  rare  and  precious  thing.  Mean 
while  the  Federal  fleet  has  been  gathering,  has  anchored 
at  the  bend,  and  shells  are  thrown  in  at  intervals. 

March  20. — The  slow  shelling  of  Vicksburg  goes  on 
all  the  time,  and  we  have  grown  indifferent.  It  does 
not  at  present  interrupt  or  interfere  with  daily  avoca 
tions,  but  I  suspect  they  are  only  getting  the  range  of 
different  points;  and  when  they  have  them  all  com 
plete,  showers  of  shot  will  rain  on  us  all  at  once.  Non- 
combatants  have  been  ordered  to  leave  or  prepare 
accordingly.  Those  who  are  to  stay  are  having  caves 
built.  Cave-digging  has  become  a  regular  business; 
prices  range  from  twenty  to  fifty  dollars,  according  to 
size  of  cave.  Two  diggers  worked  at  ours  a  week  and 
charged  thirty  dollars.  It  is  well  made  in  the  hill  that 
slopes  just  in  the  rear  of  the  house,  and  well  propped 
with  thick  posts,  as  they  all  are.  It  has  a  shelf  also, 
for  holding  a  light  or  water.  When  we  went  in  this 
evening  and  sat  down,  the  earthy,  suffocating  feeling, 
as  of  a  living  tomb,  was  dreadful  to  me.  I  fear  I 
shall  risk  death  outside  rather  than  melt  in  that  dark 
furnace.  The  hills  are  so  honeycombed  with  caves 
that  the  streets  look  like  avenues  in  a  cemetery.  The 
hill  called  the  Sky-parlor  has  become  quite  a  fashion 
able  resort  for  the  few  upper-circle  families  left  here. 
Some  officers  are  quartered  there,  and  there  is  a  band 
and  a  field-glass.  Last  evening  we  also  climbed  the 
hill  to  watch  the  shelling,  but  found  the  view  not  so 
good  as  on  a  quiet  hill  nearer  home.  Soon  a  lady 
began  to  talk  to  one  of  the  officers:  "It  is  such  folly 


56         ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

for  them  to  waste  their  ammunition  like  that.  How 
can  they  ever  take  a  town  that  has  such  advantages 
for  defense  and  protection  as  this?  We  '11  just  burrow 
into  these  hills  and  let  them  batter  away  as  hard  as 
they  please." 

"  You  are  right,  madam ;  and  besides,  when  our 
women  are  so  willing  to  brave  death  and  endure  dis 
comfort,  how  can  we  ever  be  conquered  ? " 

Soon  she  looked  over  with  significant  glances  to 
where  we  stood,  and  began  to  talk  at  H. 

"  The  only  drawback,"  she  said,  "  are  the  contempt 
ible  men  who  are  staying  at  home  in  comfort,  when 
they  ought  to  be  in  the  army  if  they  had  a  spark  of 
honor." 

I  cannot  repeat  all,  but  it  was  the  usual  tirade.  It  is 
strange  I  have  met  no  one  yet  who  seems  to  compre 
hend  an  honest  difference  of  opinion,  and  stranger  yet 
that  the  ordinary  rules  of  good  breeding  are  now  so 
entirely  ignored.  As  the  spring  comes  one  has  the 
craving  for  fresh,  green  food  that  a  monotonous  diet 
produces.  There  was  a  bed  of  radishes  and  onions  in 
the  garden  that  were  a  real  blessing.  An  onion  salad, 
dressed  only  with  salt,  vinegar,  and  pepper,  seemed  a 
dish  fit  for  a  king;  but  last  night  the  soldiers  quartered 
near  made  a  raid  on  the  garden  and  took  them  all. 

April  2. —  We  have  had  to  move,  and  thus  lost  our 
cave.  The  owner  of  the  house  suddenly  returned  and 
notified  us  that  he  intended  to  bring  his  family  back ; 
did  n't  think  there  'd  be  any  siege.  The  cost  of  the 
cave  could  go  for  the  rent.  That  means  he  has  got 
tired  of  the  Confederacy  and  means  to  stay  here  and 
thus  get  out  of  it.  This  house  was  the  only  one  to  be 


WAE  DIARY  OF  A  UNION  WOMAN  IN  THE   SOUTH       57 

had.  It  was  built  by  ex-Senator  G.,  and  ij  so  large 
our  tiny  household  is  lost  in  it.  We  use  only  the  lower 
floor.  The  bell  is  often  rung  by  persons  who  take  it  for 
a  hotel  and  come  beseeching  food  at  any  price.  To-day 
one  came  who  would  not  be  denied.  "We  do  not  keep 
a  hotel,  but  would  willingly  feed  hungry  soldiers  if  we 
had  the  food."  "I  have  been  traveling  all  night,  and 
am  starving;  will  pay  any  price  for  just  bread."  I 
went  to  the  dining-room  and  found  some  biscuits,  and 
set  out  two,  with  a  large  piece  of  corn-bread,  a  small 
piece  of  bacon,  some  nice  syrup,  and  a  pitcher  of  water. 
I  locked  the  door  of  the  safe  and  left  him  to  enjoy  his 
lunch.  After  he  left  I  found  he  had  broken  open  the 
safe  and  taken  the  remaining  biscuits. 

April  28. —  I  never  understood  before  the  full  force 
of  those  questions — What  shall  we  eat  1  what  shall  we 
drink?  and  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?  We 
have  no  prophet  of  the  Lord  at  whose  prayer  the  meal 
and  oil  will  not  waste.  Such  minute  attention  must  be 
given  the  wardrobe  to  preserve  it  that  I  have  learned 
to  darn  like  an  artist.  Making  shoes  is  now  another 
accomplishment.  Mine  were  in  tatters.  H.  came 
across  a  moth-eaten  pair  that  he  bought  me,  giving  ten 
dollars,  I  think,  and  they  fell  into  rags  when  I  tried  to 
wear  them ;  but  the  soles  were  good,  and  that  has 
helped  me  to  shoes.  A  pair  of  old  coat-sleeves  saved — 
nothing  is  thrown  away  now — was  in  my  trunk.  I  cut 
an  exact  pattern  from  my  old  shoes,  laid  it  on  the 
sleeves,  and  cut  out  thus  good  uppers  and  sewed  them 
carefully ;  then  soaked  the  soles  and  sewed  the  cloth  to 
them.  I  am  so  proud  of  these  home-made  shoes,  think 
I  '11  put  them  in  a  glass  case  when  the  war  is  over,  as 


58          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

an  heirloom.  H.  says  he  has  coine  to  have  an  abiding 
faith  that  everything  he  needs  to  wear  will  come  out 
of  that  trunk  while  the  war  lasts.  It  is  like  a  fairy 
casket.  I  have  but  a  dozen  pins  remaining,  so  many 
I  gave  away.  Every  time  these  are  used  they  are 
straightened  and  kept  from  rust.  All  these  curious 
labors  are  performed  while  the  shells  are  leisurely 
screaming  through  the  air ;  but  as  long  as  we  are  out 
of  range  we  don't  worry.  For  many  nights  we  have 
had  but  little  sleep,  because  the  Federal  gunboats  have 
been  running  past  the  batteries.  The  uproar  when  this 
is  happening  is  phenomenal.  The  first  night  the  thun 
dering  artillery  burst  the  bars  of  sleep,  we  thought  it  an 
attack  by  the  river.  To  get  into  garments  and  rush 
up-stairs  was  the  work  of  a  moment.  From  the  upper 
gallery  we  have  a  fine  view  of  the  river,  and  soon  a  red 
glare  lit  up  the  scene  and  showed  a  small  boat,  towing 
two  large  barges,  gliding  by.  The  Confederates  had 
set  fire  to  a  house  near  the  bank.  Another  night,  eight 
boats  ran  by,  throwing  a  shower  of  shot,  and  two  burn 
ing  houses  made  the  river  clear  as  day.  One  of  the 
batteries  has  a  remarkable  gun  they  call  "  Whistling 
Dick,"  because  of  the  screeching,  whistling  sound  it 
gives,  and  certainly  it  does  sound  like  a  tortured  thing. 
Added  to  all  this  is  the  indescribable  Confederate  yell, 
which  is  a  soul-harrowing  sound  to  hear.  I  have 
gained  respect  for  the  mechanism  of  the  human  ear, 
which  stands  it  all  without  injury.  The  streets  are 
seldom  quiet  at  night;  even  the  dragging  about  of 
cannon  makes  a  din  in  these  echoing  gullies.  The 
other  night  we  were  on  the  gallery  till  the  last  of  the 
eight  boats  got  by.  Next  day  a  friend  said  to  H.,  "  It 


WAK   DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       59 

was  a  wonder  you  did  n't  have  your  heads  taken  off 
last  night.  I  passed  and  saw  them  stretched  over  the 
gallery,  and  grape-shot  were  whizzing  up  the  street 
just  on  a  level  with  you."  The  double  roar  of  batteries 
and  boats  was  so  great,  we  never  noticed  the  whizzing. 
Yesterday  the  Cincinnati  attempted  to  go  by  in  day 
light,  but  was  disabled  and  sunk.  It  was  a  pitiful 
sight;  we  could  not  see  the  finale,  though  we  saw  her 
rendered  helpless. 


XIII 
PREPARATIONS   FOR   THE   SIEGE 

Vicksburg,  May  1, 1863. — It  is  settled  at  last  that  we 
shall  spend  the  time  of  siege  in  Vicksburg.  Ever  since 
we  were  deprived  of  our  cave,  I  had  been  dreading  that 
H.  would  suggest  sending  me  to  the  country,  where  his 
relatives  lived.  As  he  could  not  leave  his  position  and 
go  also  without  being  conscripted,  and  as  I  felt  certain 
an  army  would  get  between  us,  it  was  no  part  of  my 
plan  to  be  obedient.  A  shell  from  one  of  the  practis 
ing  mortars  brought  the  point  to  an  issue  yesterday 
and  settled  it.  Sitting  at  work  as  usual,  listening  to 
the  distant  sound  of  bursting  shells,  apparently  aimed 
at  the  court-house,  there  suddenly  came  a  Dearer  ex 
plosion;  the  house  shook,  and  a  tearing  sound  was 
followed  by  terrified  screams  from  the  kitchen.  I 
rushed  thither,  but  met  in  the  hall  the  cook's  little  girl 
America,  bleeding  from  a  wound  in  the  forehead,  and 
fairly  dancing  with  fright  and  pain,  while  she  uttered 
fearful  yells.  I  stopped  to  examine  the  wound,  and  her 


60         ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE    CIVIL  WAR 

mother  bounded  in,  her  black  face  ashy  from  terror. 
"  Oh !  Miss  V.,  my  child  is  killed  and  the  kitchen  tore 
up."  Seeing  America  was  too  lively  to  be  a  killed  sub 
ject,  I  consoled  Martha  and  hastened  to  the  kitchen. 
Evidently  a  shell  had  exploded  just  outside,  sending 
three  or  four  pieces  through.  When  order  was  restored 
I  endeavored  to  impress  on  Martha's  mind  the  necessity 
for  calmness  and  the  uselessness  of  such  excitement. 
Looking  round  at  the  close  of  the  lecture,  there  stood  a 
group  of  Confederate  soldiers  laughing  heartily  at  my 
sermon  and  the  promising  audience  I  had.  They  chimed 
in  with  a  parting  chorus : 

"  Yes,  it 's  no  use  hollerin',  old  lady." 

"Oh!  EL,"  I  exclaimed,  as  he  entered  soon  after, 
"America  is  wounded." 

"  That  is  no  news ;  she  has  been  wounded  by  traitors 
long  ago." 

"  Oh,  this  is  real,  living,  little  black  America.  I  am 
not  talking  in  symbols.  Here  are  the  pieces  of  shell, 
the  first  bolt  of  the  coming  siege." 

"Now  you  see,"  he  replied,  "that  this  house  will 
be  but  paper  to  mortar-shells.  You  must  go  in  the 
country." 

The  argument  was  long,  but  when  a  woman  is  ob 
stinate  and  eloquent,  she  generally  conquers.  I  came 
off  victorious,  and  we  finished  preparations  for  the 
siege  to-day.  Hiring  a  man  to  assist,  we  descended 
to  the  wine-cellar,  where  the  accumulated  bottles  told 
of  the  "  banquet-hall  deserted,"  the  spirit  and  glow  of 
the  festive  hours  whose  lights  and  garlands  were  dead, 
and  the  last  guest  long  since  departed.  To  empty 
this  cellar  was  the  work  of  many  hours.  Then  in  the 
safest  corner  a  platform  was  laid  for  our  bed,  and  in 


WAR  DIAKY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        61 

another  portion  one  arranged  for  Martha.  The  dun 
geon,  as  I  call  it,  is  lighted  only  by  a  trap-door,  and  is 
so  damp  it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  the  bedding 
and  mosquito-bars  every  day.  The  next  question  was 
of  supplies.  I  had  nothing  left  but  a  sack  of  rice-flour, 
and  no  manner  of  cooking  I  had  heard  or  invented 
contrived  to  make  it  eatable.  A  column  of  recipes  for 
making  delicious  preparations  of  it  had  been  going  the 
rounds  of  Confederate  papers.  I  tried  them  all;  they 
resulted  only  in  brick-bats  or  sticky  paste.  H.  sallied 
out  on  a  hunt  for  provisions,  and  when  he  returned 
the  disproportionate  quantity  of  the  different  articles 
obtained  provoked  a  smile.  There  was  a  hogshead  of 
sugar,  a  barrel  of  syrup,  ten  pounds  of  bacon  and  peas, 
four  pounds  of  wheat-flour,  and  a  small  sack  of  corn- 
meal,  a  little  vinegar,  and  actually  some  spice !  The 
wheat-flour  he  purchased  for  ten  dollars  as  a  special 
favor  from  the  sole  remaining  barrel  for  sale.  We 
decided  that  must  be  left  for  sickness.  The  sack  of 
meal,  he  said,  was  a  case  of  corruption,  through  a 
special  providence  to  us.  There  is  no  more  for  sale  at 
any  price;  but,  said  he,  "a  soldier  who  was  hauling 
some  of  the  Government  sacks  to  the  hospital  offered 
me  this  for  five  dollars,  if  I  could  keep  a  secret.  When 
the  meal  is  exhausted,  perhaps  we  can  keep  alive  on 
sugar.  Here  are  some  wax  candles ;  hoard  them  like 
gold."  He  handed  me  a  parcel  containing  about  two 
pounds  of  candles,  and  left  me  to  arrange  my  treasures. 
It  would  be  hard  for  me  to  picture  the  memories  those 
candles  called  up.  The  long  years  melted  away,  and  I 

Trod  again  my  childhood's  track, 
And  felt  its  very  gladness. 


62          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

In  those  childish  days,  whenever  came  dreams  of 
household  splendor  or  festal  rooms  or  gay  illumina 
tions,  the  lights  in  my  vision  were  always  wax  candles 
burning  with  a  soft  radiance  that  enchanted  every 
scene.  .  .  .  And,  lo !  here  on  this  spring  day  of  '63, 
with  war  raging  through  the  land,  I  was  in  a  fine 
house,  and  had  my  wax  candles  sure  enough ;  but,  alas  ! 
they  were  neither  cerulean  blue  nor  rose-tinted,  but 
dirty  brown ;  and  when  I  lighted  one,  it  spluttered  and 
wasted  like  any  vulgar  tallow  thing,  and  lighted  only 
a  desolate  scene  in  the  vast  handsome  room.  They 
were  not  so  good  as  the  waxen  rope  we  had  made  in 
Arkansas.  So,  with  a  long  sigh  for  the  dreams  of 
youth,  I  return  to  the  stern  present  in  this  besieged 
town — my  only  consolation  to  remember  the  old  axiom, 
"A  city  besieged  is  a  city  taken," — so  if  we  live 
through  it  we  shall  be  out  of  the  Confederacy.  H.  is 
very  tired  of  having  to  carry  a  pass  around  in  his 
pocket  and  go  every  now  and  then  to  have  it  renewed. 
We  have  been  so  very  free  in  America,  these  restric 
tions  are  irksome. 

May  9. — This  morning  the  door-bell  rang  a  startling 
peal.  Martha  being  busy,  I  answered  it.  An  orderly 
in  gray  stood  with  an  official  envelop  in  his  hand. 

"  Who  lives  here  ?  " 

"Mr.  L.» 

Very  imperiously — "Which  Mr.  L.?" 

"Mr.  H.L." 

"  Is  he  here  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Where  can  he  be  found  ?  " 

"At  the  office  of  Deputy » 


WAR   DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        63 

"  I  'm  not  going  there.  This  is  an  order  from  Gen 
eral  Pemberton  for  you  to  move  out  of  this  house  in 
two  hours.  He  has  selected  it  for  headquarters.  He 
will  furnish  you  with  wagons." 

"  Will  he  furnish  another  house  also  I " 

"  Of  course  not." 

"  Has  the  owner  been  consulted  ? " 

"  He  has  not ;  that  is  of  no  consequence ;  it  has  been 
taken.  Take  this  order." 

"  I  shall  not  take  it,  and  I  shall  not  move,  as  there  is 
no  place  to  move  to  but  the  street." 

"  Then  I  '11  take  it  to  Mr.  L." 

"Very  well;  do  so." 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Impertine  walked  off,  I  locked,  bolted, 
and  barred  every  door  and  window.  In  ten  minutes 
H.  came  home. 

"  Hold  the  fort  till  I  've  seen  the  owner  and  the  gen 
eral,"  he  said,  as  I  locked  him  out. 

Then  Dr.  B.'s  remark  in  New  Orleans  about  the  effect 
of  Dr.  C.'s  fine  presence  on  the  Confederate  officials 
there  came  to  mind.  They  are  just  the  people  to  be 
influenced  in  that  way,  I  thought.  I  look  rather  shabby 
now ;  I  will  dress.  I  made  an  elaborate  toilet,  put  on 
the  best  and  most  becoming  dress  I  had,  the  richest 
lace,  the  handsomest  ornaments,  taking  care  that  all 
should  be  appropriate  to  a  morning  visit ;  dressed  my 
hair  in  the  stateliest  braids,  and  took  a  seat  in  the  par 
lor  ready  for  the  fray.  H.  came  to  the  window  and  said : 

"  Landlord  says,  '  Keep  them  out.  Would  n't  let 
them  have  his  house  at  any  price.'  He  is  just  riding 
off  to  the  country  and  can't  help  us  now.  Now  I  'in 
going  to  see  Major  C.,  who  sent  the  order." 


64          ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

Next  came  an  officer,  banged  at  the  door  till  tired, 
and  walked  away.  Then  the  orderly  came  again  and 
beat  the  door — same  result.  Next,  four  officers  with 
bundles  and  lunch-baskets,  followed  by  a  wagon-load 
of  furniture.  They  went  round  the  house,  tried  every 
door,  peeped  in  the  windows,  pounded  and  rapped, 
while  I  watched  them  through  the  blind-slats.  Pres 
ently  the  fattest  one,  a  real  Falstaffian  man,  came  back 
to  the  front  door  and  rang  a  thundering  peal.  I  saw  the 
chance  for  fun  and  for  putting  on  their  own  grandilo 
quent  style.  Stealing  on  tiptoe  to  the  door,  I  turned 
the  key  and  bolt  noiselessly,  and  suddenly  threw  wide 
back  the  door  and  appeared  behind  it.  He  had  been 
leaning  on  it,  and  nearly  pitched  forward  with  an  "  Oh ! 
what 's  this  ! "  Then  seeing  me  as  he  straightened  up, 
"Ah,  madam!"  almost  stuttering  from  surprise  and 
anger,  "  are  you  aware  I  had  the  right  to  break  down 
this  door  if  you  had  n't  opened  it  ?  " 

"  That  would  make  no  difference  to  me.  I  'm  not  the 
owner.  You  or  the  landlord  would  pay  the  bill  for  the 
repairs." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  open  the  door  ?  " 

"  Have  I  not  done  so  as  soon  as  you  rung  ?  A  lady 
does  not  open  the  door  to  men  who  beat  on  it.  Grentle- 
men  usually  ring;  I  thought  it  might  be  stragglers 
pounding." 

"Well,"  growing  much  blander,  "we  are  going 
to  send  you  some  wagons  to  move;  you  must  get 
ready." 

"  With  pleasure,  if  you  have  selected  a  house  for  me. 
This  is  too  large ;  it  does  not  suit  me." 

"  No,  I  did  n't  find  a  house  for  you." 


WAR  DIAKY  OF  A  UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE  SOUTH        65 

"  You  surely  don't  expect  me  to  run  about  in  the 
dust  and  shelling  to  look  for  it,  and  Mr.  L.  is  too 
busy." 

"  Well,  madam,  then  we  must  share  the  house.  We 
will  take  the  lower  floor." 

"  I  prefer  to  keep  the  lower  floor  myself ;  you  surely 
don't  expect  me  to  go  up  and  down  stairs  when  you  are 
so  light  and  more  able  to  do  it." 

He  walked  through  the  hall,  trying  the  doors.  "  What 
room  is  that  I "  "  The  parlor."  "And  this  f "  "  My 
bedroom."  "And  this  ?  "  "  The  dining-room." 

"  Well,  madam,  we  '11  find  you  a  house  and  then  come 
and  take  this." 

"  Thank  you,  colonel ;  I  shall  be  ready  when  you  find 
the  house.  Good-morning,  sir." 

I  heard  him  say  as  he  ran  down  the  steps,  "  We  must 
go  back,  captain;  you  see  I  did  n't  know  they  were 
this  kind  of  people." 

Of  course  the  orderly  had  lied  in  the  beginning  to 
scare  me,  for  General  P.  is  too  far  away  from  Vicks- 
burg  to  send  an  order.  He  is  looking  about  for  General 
Grant.  We  are  told  he  has  gone  out  to  meet  John 
ston  ;  and  together  they  expect  to  annihilate  Grant's 
army  and  free  Vicksburg  forever.  There  is  now  a 
general  hospital  opposite  this  house,  and  a  smallpox 
hospital  next  door.  War,  famine,  pestilence,  and  fire 
surround  us.  Every  day  the  band  plays  in  front  of  the 
smallpox  hospital.  I  wonder  if  it  is  to  keep  up  their 
spirits?  One  would  suppose  quiet  would  be  more 
cheering. 

May  17. — Hardly  was  our  scanty  breakfast  over  this 
morning  when  a  hurried  ring  drew  us  both  to  the  door. 


66          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

Mr.  J.,  one  of  H.'s  assistants,  stood  there  in  high  ex 
citement. 

"  Well,  Mr.  L.,  they  are  upon  us;  the  Yankees  will  be 
here  by  this  evening." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"That  Pemberton  has  been  whipped  at  Baker's 
Creek  and  Big  Black,  and  his  army  are  running  back 
here  as  fast  as  they  can  come,  and  the  Yanks  after 
them,  in  such  numbers  nothing  can  stop  them.  Has  n't 
Pemberton  acted  like  a  fool?" 

"He  may  not  be  the  only  one  to  blame,"  replied  H. 

"They  're  coming*  along  the  Big  B.  road,  and  my 
folks  went  down  there  to  be  safe,  you  know;  now 
they  're  right  in  it.  I  hear  you  can't  see  the  armies 
for  the  dust;  never  was  anything  else  known  like  it. 
But  I  must  go  and  try  to  bring  my  folks  back  here." 

What  struck  us  both  was  the  absence  of  that  con 
cern  to  be  expected,  and  a  sort  of  relief  or  suppressed 
pleasure.  After  twelve  some  worn-out-looking  men 
sat  down  under  the  window. 

"  What  is  the  news  ? "  I  inquired. 

"Ritreat,  ritreat!"  they  said,  in  broken  English  — 
they  were  Louisiana  Acadians. 

About  three  o'clock  the  rush  began.  I  shall  never 
forget  that  woeful  sight  of  a  beaten,  demoralized  army 
that  came  rushing  back, — humanity  in  the  last  throes 
of  endurance.  Wan,  hollow-eyed,  ragged,  foot-sore, 
bloody,  the  men  limped  along  unarmed,  but  followed 
by  siege-guns,  ambulances,  gun-carriages,  and  wagons 
in  aimless  confusion.  At  twilight  two  or  three  bands 
on  the  court-house  hill  and  other  points  began  playing 
"Dixie,"  "Bonnie  Blue  Flag,"  and  so  on,  and  drums 


WAR   DIAK^   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        67 

began  to  beat  all  about ;  I  suppose  they  were  rallying 
the  scattered  army. 

May  28. — Since  that  day  the  regular  siege  has  con 
tinued.  We  are  utterly  cut  off  from  the  world,  sur 
rounded  by  a  circle  of  fire.  Would  it  be  wise  like  the 
scorpion  to  sting  ourselves  to  death?  The  fiery  shower 
of  shells  goes  on  day  and  night.  H.'s  occupation,  of 
course,  is  gone;  his  office  closed.  Every  man  has  to 
carry  a  pass  in  his  pocket.  People  do  nothing  but  eat 
what  they  can  get,  sleep  when  they  can,  and  dodge 
the  shells.  There  are  three  intervals  when  the  shelling 
stops,  either  for  the  guns  to  cool  or  for  the  gunners' 
meals,  I  suppose, — about  eight  in  the  morning,  the 
same  in  the  evening,  and  at  noon.  In  that  time  we 
have  both  to  prepare  and  eat  ours.  Clothing  cannot  be 
washed  or  anything  else  done.  On  the  19th  and  22d, 
when  the  assaults  were  made  on  the  lines,  I  watched 
the  soldiers  cooking  on  the  green  opposite.  The  half- 
spent  balls  coming  all  the  way  from  those  lines  were 
flying  so  thick  that  they  were  obliged  to  dodge  at  every 
turn.  At  all  the  caves  I  could  see  from  my  high  perch, 
people  were  sitting,  eating  their  poor  suppers  at  the 
cave  doors,  ready  to  plunge  in  again.  As  the  first  shell 
again  flew  they  dived,  and  not  a  human  being  was 
visible.  The  sharp  crackle  of  the  musketry-firing  was 
a  strong  contrast  to  the  scream  of  the  bombs.  I  think 
all  the  dogs  and  cats  must  be  killed  or  starved:  we 
don't  see  any  more  pitiful  animals  prowling  around. 
.  .  .  The  cellar  is  so  damp  and  musty  the  bedding 
has  to  be  carried  out  and  laid  in  the  sun  every  day, 
with  the  forecast  that  it  may  be  demolished  at  any 
moment.  The  confinement  is  dreadful.  To  sit  and 


68         ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

listen  as  if  waiting  for  death  in  a  horrible  manner 
would  drive  me  insane.  I  don't  know  what  others  do, 
but  we  read  when  I  am  not  scribbling  in  this.  H. 
borrowed  somewhere  a  lot  of  Dickens's  novels,  and  we 
reread  them  by  the  dim  light  in  the  cellar.  When  the 
shelling  abates,  H.  goes  to  walk  about  a  little  or  get 
the  "Daily  Citizen,"  which  is  still  issuing  a  tiny  sheet 
at  twenty-five  and  fifty  cents  a  copy.  It  is,  of  course, 
but  a  rehash  of  speculations  which  amuses  a  half 
hour.  To-day  he  heard  while  out  that  expert  swim 
mers  are  crossing  the  Mississippi  on  logs  at  night  to 
bring  and  carry  news  to  Johnston.  I  am  so  tired  of 
corn-bread,  which  I  never  liked,  that  I  eat  it  with 
tears  in  my  eyes.  We  are  lucky  to  get  a  quart  of  milk 
daily  from  a  family  near  who  have  a  cow  they  hourly 
expect  to  be  killed.  I  send  five  dollars  to  market  each 
morning,  and  it  buys  a  small  piece  of  mule-meat. 
Eice  and  milk  is  my  main  food;  I  can't  eat  the  mule- 
meat.  We  boil  the  rice  and  eat  it  cold  with  milk  for 
supper.  Martha  runs  the  gauntlet  to  buy  the  meat 
and  milk  once  a  day  in  a  perfect  terror.  The  shells 
seem  to  have  many  different  names:  I  hear  the  sol 
diers  say,  "That 's  a  mortar-shell.  There  goes  a  Par- 
rott.  That  's  a  rifle- shell."  They  are  all  equally 
terrible.  A  pair  of  chimney-swallows  have  built  in 
the  parlor  chimney.  The  concussion  of  the  house 
often  sends  down  parts  of  their  nest,  which  they 
patiently  pick  up  and  reascend  with. 

Friday,  June  5.  In  the  cellar. — Wednesday  evening 
H.  said  he  must  take  a  little  walk,  and  went  while  the 
shelling  had  stopped.  He  never  leaves  me  alone  for 
long,  and  when  an  hour  had  passed  without  his  return 


WAE  DIAKY   OF  A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        69 

I  grew  anxious;  and  when  two  hours,  and  the  shelling 
had  grown  terrific,  I  momentarily  expected  to  see  his 
mangled  body.  All  sorts  of  horrors  fill  the  mind  now, 
and  I  am  so  desolate  here;  not  a  friend.  When  he 
came  he  said  that,  passing  a  cave  where  there  were  no 
others  near,  he  heard  groans,  and  found  a  shell  had 
struck  above  and  caused  the  cave  to  fall  in  on  the 
man  within.  He  could  not  extricate  him'  alone,  and 
had  to  get  help  and  dig  him  out.  He  was  badly  hurt, 
but  not  mortally,  and  I  felt  fairly  sick  from  the 
suspense. 

Yesterday  morning  a  note  was  brought  H.  from  a 
bachelor  uncle  out  in  the  trenches,  saying  he  had  been 
taken  ill  with  fever,  and  could  we  receive  him  if  he 
came?  H.  sent  to  tell  him  to  come,  and  I  arranged 
one  of  the  parlors  as  a  dressing-room  for  him,  and  laid 
a  pallet  that  he  could  move  back  and  forth  to  the 
cellar.  He  did  not  arrive,  however.  It  is  our  custom 
in  the  evening  to  sit  in  the  front  room  a  little  while  in 
the  dark,  with  matches  and  candle  held  ready  in  hand, 
and  watch  the  shells,  whose  course  at  night  is  shown 
by  the  fuse.  H.  was  at  the  window  and  suddenly 
sprang  up,  crying,  "  Run  ! " — "  Where  ? " — "Back  !  " 

I  started  through  the  back  room,  H.  after  me.  I  was 
just  within  the  door  when  the  crash  came  that  threw 
me  to  the  floor.  It  was  the  most  appalling  sensation 
I  'd  ever  known  —  worse  than  an  earthquake,  which 
I  've  also  experienced.  Shaken  and  deafened,  I  picked 
myself  up;  H.  had  struck  a  light  to  find  me.  I  lighted 
mine,  and  the  smoke  guided  us  to  the  parlor  I  had 
fixed  for  Uncle  J.  The  candles  were  useless  in  the 
dense  smoke,  and  it  was  many  minutes  before  we 


70          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

could  see.  Then  we  found  the  entire  side  of  the  room 
torn  out.  The  soldiers  who  had  rushed  in  said,  "  This 
is  an  eighty-pound  Parrott."  It  had  entered  through 
the  front,  burst  on  the  pallet-bed,  which  was  in  tatters; 
the  toilet  service  and  everything  else  in  the  room 
smashed.  The  soldiers  assisted  H.  to  board  up  the 
break  with  planks  to  keep  out  prowlers,  and  we  went 
to  bed  in  the  cellar  as  usual.  This  morning  the  yard  is 
partially  plowed  by  a  couple  that  fell  there  in  the 
night.  I  think  this  house,  so  large  and  prominent 
from  the  river,  is  perhaps  taken  for  headquarters  and 
specially  shelled.  As  we  descend  at  night  to  the  lower 
regions,  I  think  of  the  evening  hymn  that  grandmother 
taught  me  when  a  child : 

Lord,  keep  us  safe  this  night, 

Secure  from  all  our  fears ; 
May  angels  guard  us  while  we  sleep, 

Till  morning  light  appears. 

Surely,  if  there  are  heavenly  guardians,  we  need 
them  now. 

June  7.  (In  the  cellar.)  —  There  is  one  thing  I  feel 
especially  grateful  for,  that  amid  these  horrors  we 
have  been  spared  that  of  suffering  for  water.  The 
weather  has  been  dry  a  long  time,  and  we  hear  of 
others  dipping  up  the  water  from  ditches  and  mud- 
holes.  This  place  has  two  large  underground  cisterns 
of  good  cool  water,  and  every  night  in  my  subterra 
nean  dressing-room  a  tub  of  cold  water  is  the  nerve- 
calmer  that  sends  me  to  sleep  in  spite  of  the  roar.  One 
cistern  I  had  to  give  up  to  the  soldiers,  who  swarm 
about  like  hungry  animals  seeking  something  to  de- 


WAR   DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        71 

vour.  Poor  fellows !  my  heart  bleeds  for  them.  They 
have  nothing  but  spoiled,  greasy  bacon,  and  bread 
made  of  musty  pea-flour,  and  but  little  of  that.  The 
sick  ones  can't  bolt  it.  They  come  into  the  kitchen 
when  Martha  puts  the  pan  of  corn-bread  in  the  stove, 
and  beg  for  the  bowl  she  mixed  it  in.  They  shake  up 
the  scrapings  with  water,  put  in  their  bacon,  and  boil 
the  mixture  into  a  kind  of  soup,  which  is  easier  to 
swallow  than  pea-bread.  When  I  happen  in,  they  look 
so  ashamed  of  their  poor  clothes.  I  know  we  saved 
the  lives  of  two  by  giving  a  few  meals.  To-day  one 
crawled  on  the  gallery  to  lie  in  the  breeze.  He  looked 
as  if  shells  had  lost  their  terrors  for  his  dumb  and 
famished  misery.  I  've  taught  Martha  to  make  first- 
rate  corn-meal  gruel,  because  I  can  eat  meal  easier  that 
way  than  in  hoe-cake,  and  I  fixed  him  a  saucerful,  put 
milk  and  sugar  and  nutmeg — I  've  actually  got  a  nut 
meg!  When  he  ate  it  the  tears  ran  from  his  eyes. 
"  Oh,  madam,  there  was  never  anything  so  good !  I 
shall  get  better." 

June  9. —  The  churches  are  a  great  resort  for  those 
who  have  no  caves.  People  fancy  they  are  not  shelled 
so  much,  and  they  are  substantial  and  the  pews  good 
to  sleep  in.  We  had  to  leave  this  house  last  night, 
they  were  shelling  our  quarter  so  heavily.  The  night 
before,  Martha  forsook  the  cellar  for  a  church.  We 
went  to  H.'s  office,  which  was  comparatively  quiet  last 
night.  H.  carried  the  bank-box;  I  the  case  of  matches; 
Martha  the  blankets  and  pillows,  keeping  an  eye  on 
the  shells.  We  slept  on  piles  of  old  newspapers.  In 
the  streets  the  roar  seems  so  much  more  confusing,  I 
feel  sure  I  shall  run  right  in  the  way  of  a  shell.  They 


72         ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAB 

seem  to  have  five  different  sounds  from  the  second  of 
throwing  them  to  the  hollow  echo  wandering  among 
the  hills,  and  that  sounds  the  most  blood-curdling  of  all. 

June  13. —  Shell  burst  just  over  the  roof  this  morn 
ing.  Pieces  tore  through  both  floors  down  into  the 
dining-room.  The  entire  ceiling  of  that  room  fell  in  a 
mass.  We  had  just  left  it.  Every  piece  of  crockery  on 
the  table  was  smashed  up.  The  "Daily  Citizen " to-day 
is  a  foot  and  a  half  long  and  six  inches  wide.  It  has  a 
long  letter  from  a  Federal  officer,  P.  P.  Hill,  who  was 
on  the  gunboat  Cincinnati,  that  was  sunk  May  27. 
Says  it  was  found  in  his  floating  trunk.  The  editorial 
says,  "  The  utmost  confidence  is  felt  that  we  can  main 
tain  our  position  until  succor  comes  from  outside.  The 
undaunted  Johnston  is  at  hand." 

June  18. —  To-day  the  " Citizen"  is  printed  on  wall 
paper  ;  therefore  has  grown  a  little  in  size.  It  says, 
"  But  a  few  days  more  and  Johnston  will  be  here"; 
also  that  "  Kirby  Smith  has  driven  Banks  from  Port 
Hudson,"  and  that  "the  enemy  are  throwing  incendiary 
shells  in." 

June  20. — The  gentleman  who  took  our  cave  came 
yesterday  to  invite  us  to  come  to  it,  because,  he  said, 
"it 's  going  to  be  very  bad  to-day."  I  don't  know  why 
he  thought  so.  We  went,  and  found  his  own  and 
another  family  in  it;  sat  outside  and  watched  the 
shells  till  we  concluded  the  cellar  was  as  good  a  place 
as  that  hillside.  I  fear  the  want  of  good  food  is 
breaking  down  H.  I  know  from  my  own  feelings  of 
weakness,  but  mine  is  not  an  American  constitution 
and  has  a  recuperative  power  that  his  has  not. 

June  21. — I  had  gone  up-stairs  to-day  during  the  inter- 


WAR  DIARY   OF   A   UNION  WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH       73 

regnum  to  enjoy  a  rest  on  my  bed,  and  read  the  reliable 
items  in  the  "  Citizen,"  when  a  shell  burst  right  outside 
the  window  in  front  of  me.  Pieces  flew  in,  striking  all 
around  me,  tearing  down  masses  of  plaster  that  came 
tumbling  over  me.  When  H.  rushed  in  I  was  crawling 
out  of  the  plaster,  digging  it  out  of  my  eyes  and  hair. 
When  he  picked  up  a  piece  as  large  as  a  saucer  beside 
my  pillow,  I  realized  my  narrow  escape.  The  window- 
frame  began  to  smoke,  and  we  saw  the  house  was  on 
fire.  H.  ran  for  a  hatchet  and  I  for  water,  and  we  put 
it  out.  Another  [shell]  came  crashing  near,  and  I 
snatched  up  my  comb  and  brush  and  ran  down  here. 
It  has  taken  all  the  afternoon  to  get  the  plaster  out  of 
my  hair,  for  my  hands  were  rather  shaky. 

June  25. — A  horrible  day.  The  most  horrible  yet  to 
me,  because  I  've  lost  my  nerve.  We  were  all  in  the 
cellar,  when  a  shell  came  tearing  through  the  roof, 
burst  up-stairs,  tore  up  that  room,  and  the  pieces 
coming  through  both  floors  down  into  the  cellar,  one 
of  them  tore  open  the  leg  of  H.'s  pantaloons.  This 
was  tangible  proof  the  cellar  was  no  place  of  protec 
tion  from  them.  On  the  heels  of  this  came  Mr.  J.  to 
tell  us  that  young  Mrs.  P.  had  had  her  thigh-bone 
crushed.  When  Martha  went  for  the  milk  she  came 
back  horror-stricken  to  tell  us  the  black  girl  there  had 
her  arm  taken  off  by  a  shell.  For  the  first  time  I 
quailed.  I  do  not  think  people  who  are  physically 
brave  deserve  much  credit  for  it;  it  is  a  matter  of 
nerves.  In  this  way  I  am  constitutionally  brave, 
and  seldom  think  of  danger  till  it  is  over;  and  death 
has  not  the  terrors  for  me  it  has  for  some  others. 
Every  night  I  had  lain  down  expecting  death,  and 


74         ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR 

every  morning  rose  to  the  same  prospect,  without 
being  unnerved.  It  was  for  H.  I  trembled.  But  now 
I  first  seemed  to  realize  that  something  worse  than 
death  might  come:  I  might  be  crippled,  and  not  killed. 
Life,  without  all  one's  powers  and  limbs,  was  a  thought 
that  broke  down  my  courage.  I  said  to  H.,  "You 
must  get  me  out  of  this  horrible  place;  I  cannot  stay; 
I  know  I  shall  be  crippled."  Now  the  regret  comes 
that  I  lost  control,  because  H.  is  worried,  and  has  lost 
his  composure,  because  my  coolness  has  broken  down. 
July  1. —  Some  months  ago,  thinking  it  might  be 
useful,  I  obtained  from  the  consul  of  my  birthplace, 
by  sending  to  another  town,  a  passport  for  foreign 
parts.  H.  said  if  we  went  out  to  the  lines  we  might 
be  permitted  to  get  through  on  that.  So  we  packed 
the  trunks,  got  a  carriage,  and  on  the  30th  drove  out 
there.  General  Y.  offered  us  seats  in  his  tent.  The 
rifle-bullets  were  whizzing  so  zip,  zip  from  the  sharp 
shooters  on  the  Federal  lines  that  involuntarily  I 
moved  on  my  chair.  He  said,  "Don't  be  alarmed;  you 
are  out  of  range.  They  are  firing  at  our  mules  yon 
der."  His  horse,  tied  by  the  tent  door,  was  quivering 
all  over,  the  most  intense  exhibition  of  fear  I  'd  ever 
seen  in  an  animal.  General  Y.  sent  out  a  flag  of  truce 
to  the  Federal  headquarters,  and  while  we  waited  wrote 
on  a  piece  of  silk  paper  a  few  words.  Then  he  said, 
"My  wife  is  in  Tennessee.  If  you  get  through  the 
lines,  send  her  this.  They  will  search  you,  so  I  will 
put  it  in  this  toothpick."  He  crammed  the  silk  paper 
into  a  quill  toothpick,  and  handed  it  to  H.  It  was 
completely  concealed.  The  flag-of-truce  officer  came 
back  flushed  and  angry.  "General  Grant  says  no 


WAE  DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        75 

human  being  shall  pass  out  of  Vicksburg;  but  the  lady 
may  feel  sure  danger  will  soon  be  over.  Vicksburg 
will  surrender  on  the  4th." 

"Is  that  so,  general?"  inquired  H.  "Are  arrange 
ments  for  surrender  made!" 

"We  know  nothing  of  the  kind.  Vicksburg  will  not 
surrender." 

"Those  were  Greneral  Grant's  exact  words,  sir,"  said 
the  flag-officer.  "Of  course  it  is  nothing  but  their 
brag." 

We  went  back  sadly  enough,  but  to-day  H.  says  he 
will  cross  the  river  to  Greneral  Porter's  lines  and  try 
there;  I  shall  not  be  disappointed. 

July  3. — H.  was  going  to  headquarters  for  the  re 
quisite  pass,  and  he  saw  General  Pemberton  crawling 
out  of  a  cave,  for  the  shelling  had  been  as  hot  as  ever. 
He  got  the  pass,  but  did  not  act  with  his  usual  caution, 
for  the  boat  he  secured  was  a  miserable,  leaky  one — a 
mere  trough.  Leaving  Martha  in  charge,  we  went  to 
the  river,  had  our  trunks  put  in  the  boat,  and  em 
barked;  but  the  boat  became  utterly  unmanageable, 
and  began  to  fill  with  water  rapidly.  H.  saw  that  we 
could  not  cross  in  it,  and  turned  to  come  back;  yet  in 
spite  of  that  the  pickets  at  the  battery  fired  on  us.  H. 
raised  the  white  flag  he  had,  yet  they  fired  again,  and 
I  gave  a  cry  of  horror  that  none  of  these  dreadful 
things  had  wrung  from  me.  I  thought  H.  was  struck. 
When  we  landed  H.  showed  the  pass,  and  said  that  the 
officer  had  told  him  the  battery  would  be  notified  we 
were  to  cross.  The  officer  apologized  and  said  they 
were  not  notified.  He  furnished  a  cart  to  get  home, 
and  to-day  we  are  down  in  the  cellar  again,  shells 


76          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

flying  as  thick  as  ever;  provisions  so  nearly  gone, 
except  the  hogshead  of  sugar,  that  a  few  more  days 
will  bring  us  to  starvation  indeed.  Martha  says  rats 
are  hanging  dressed  in  the  market  for  sale  with  mule- 
meat:  there  is  nothing  else.  The  officer  at  the  battery 
told  me  he  had  eaten  one  yesterday.  We  have  tried  to 
leave  this  Tophet  and  failed,  and  if  the  siege  continues 
I  must  summon  that  higher  kind  of  courage — moral 
bravery — to  subdue  my  fears  of  possible  mutilation. 

July  4. — It  is  evening.  All  is  still.  Silence  and  night 
are  once  more  united.  I  can  sit  at  the  table  in  the  par 
lor  and  write.  Two  candles  are  lighted.  I  would  like 
a  dozen.  We  have  had  wheat  supper  and  wheat  bread 
once  more.  H.  is  leaning  back  in  the  rocking-chair; 
he  says : 

"  GL,  it  seems  to  me  I  can  hear  the  silence,  and  feel  it, 
too.  It  wraps  me  like  a  soft  garment ;  how  else  can  I 
express  this  peace  ?  " 

But  I  must  write  the  history  of  the  last  twenty-four 
hours.  About  five  yesterday  afternoon,  Mr.  J.,  H.'s  as 
sistant,  who,  having  no  wife  to  keep  him  in,  dodges 
about  at  every  change  and  brings  us  the  news,  came  to 
H.  and  said : 

"  Mr.  L.,  you  must  both  come  to  our  cave  to-night.  I 
hear  that  to-night  the  shelling  is  to  surpass  everything 
yet.  An  assault  will  be  made  in  front  and  rear.  You 
know  we  have  a  double  cave ;  there  is  room  for  you  in 
mine,  and  mother  and  sister  will  make  a  place  for  Mrs. 
L.  Come  right  up ;  the  ball  will  open  about  seven." 

We  got  ready,  shut  up  the  house,  told  Martha  to  go 
to  the  church  again  if  she  preferred  it  to  the  cellar,  and 
walked  up  to  Mr.  J.'s.  When  supper  was  eaten,  all  se- 


WAK   DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        77 

cure,  and  ladies  in  their  cave  night  toilet,  it  was  just 
six,  and  we  crossed  the  street  to  the  cave  opposite.  As 
I  crossed  a  mighty  shell  flew  screaming  right  over  my 
head.  It  was  the  last  thrown  into  Vicksburg.  We  lay 
on  our  pallets  waiting  for  the  expected  roar,  but  no 
sound  came  except  the  chatter  from  neighboring  caves, 
and  at  last  we  dropped  asleep.  I  woke  at  dawn  stiff. 
A  draft  from  the  funnel-shaped  opening  had  been 
blowing  on  me  all  night.  Every  one  was  expressing 
surprise  at  the  quiet.  We  started  for  home  and  met 
the  editor  of  the  "  Daily  Citizen."  H.  said : 

"  This  is  strangely  quiet,  Mr.  L." 

"Ah,  sir,"  shaking  his  head  gloomily,  "I  'm  afraid  (?) 
the  last  shell  has  been  thrown  into  Vicksburg." 

"  Why  do  you  fear  so  ?  " 

"It  is  surrender.  At  six  last  evening  a  man  went 
down  to  the  river  and  blew  a  truce  signal ;  the  shelling 
stopped  at  once." 

When  I  entered  the  kitchen  a  soldier  was  there  wait 
ing  for  the  bowl  of  scrapings  (they  took  turns  for  it). 

"  Good  morning,  madam,"  he  said ;  "  we  won't  bother 
you  much  longer.  We  can't  thank  you  enough  for  let 
ting  us  come,  for  getting  this  soup  boiled  has  helped 
some  of  us  to  keep  alive;  but  now  all  this  is  over." 

"  Is  it  true  about  the  surrender  ?  " 

"Yes;  we  have  had  no  official  notice,  but  they  are 
paroling  out  at  the  lines  now,  and  the  men  in  Vicks 
burg  will  never  forgive  Pemberton.  An  old  granny ! 
A  child  would  have  known  better  than  to  shut  men  up 
in  this  cursed  trap  to  starve  to  death  like  useless  ver 
min."  His  eyes  flashed  with  an  insane  fire  as  he  spoke. 
"  Have  n't  I  seen  my  friends  carried  out  three  or  four 


78         ADVENTURES   AND    ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

in  a  box,  that  had  died  of  starvation!  Nothing  else, 
madam !  Starved  to  death  because  we  had  a  fool  for  a 
general." 

"  Don't  you  think  you  're  rather  hard  on  Pemberton  ? 
He  thought  it  his  duty  to  wait  for  Johnston." 

"  Some  people  may  excuse  him,  ma'am ;  but  we  '11 
curse  him  to  our  dying  day.  Anyhow,  you  '11  see  the 
blue-coats  directly." 

Breakfast  despatched,  we  went  on  the  upper  gallery. 
What  I  expected  to  see  was  files  of  soldiers  marching 
in,  but  it  was  very  different.  The  street  was  deserted, 
save  by  a  few  people  carrying  home  bedding  from 
their  caves.  Among  these  was  a  group  taking  home 
a  little  creature  born  in  a  cave  a  few  days  previous, 
and  its  wan-looking  mother.  About  eleven  o'clock 
a  soldier  in  blue  came  sauntering  along,  who  looked 
about  curiously.  Then  two  more  followed  him,  and 
then  another. 

"H.,  do  you  think  these  can  be  the  Federal  sol 
diers  ? " 

"  Why,  yes ;  here  come  more  up  the  street." 

Soon  a  group  appeared  on  the  court-house  hill,  and 
the  flag  began  slowly  to  rise  to  the  top  of  the  staff. 
As  the  breeze  caught  it,  and  it  sprang  out  like  a  live 
thing  exultant,  H.  drew  a  long  breath  of  contentment. 

"  Now  I  feel  once  more  at  home  in  mine  own  country." 

In  an  hour  more  a  grand  rush  of  people  setting 
toward  the  river  began, — foremost  among  them  the 
gentleman  who  took  our  cave;  all  were  flying  as  if 
for  life. 

"  What  can  this  mean,  H.?  Are  the  populace  turn 
ing  out  to  greet  the  despised  conquerors!" 


WAR   DIAEY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        79 

"  Oh,"  said  H.,  springing  up,  "  look !  It  is  the  boats 
coming  around  the  bend." 

Truly,  it  was  a  fine  spectacle  to  see  that  fleet  of 
transports  sweep  around  the  curve  and  anchor  in  the 
teeth  of  the  battery  so  lately  vomiting  fire.  Presently 
Mr.  J.  passed  and  called : 

"  Are  n't  you  coming,  Mr.  L.  I  There  's  provisions 
on  those  boats:  coffee  and  flour.  *  First  come,  first 
served,'  you  know." 

"  Yes,  I  '11  be  there  pretty  soon,"  replied  H. 

But  now  the  newcomers  began  to  swarm  into  our 
yard,  asking  H.  if  he  had  coin  to  sell  for  greenbacks. 
He  had  some,  and  a  little  bartering  went  on  with  the 
new  greenbacks.  H.  went  out  to  get  provisions.  When 
he  returned  a  Confederate  officer  came  with  him.  H. 
went  to  the  box  of  Confederate  money  and  took  out 
four  hundred  dollars,  and  the  officer  took  off  his  watch, 
a  plain  gold  one,  and  laid  it  on  the  table,  saying,  "  We 
have  not  been  paid,  and  I  must  get  home  to  my  family." 
H.  added  a  five-dollar  greenback  to  the  pile,  and 
wished  him  a  happy  meeting.  The  townsfolk  continued 
to  dash  through  the  streets  with  their  arms  full, 
canned  goods  predominating.  Toward  five,  Mr.  J. 
passed  again.  "  Keep  on  the  lookout,"  he  said ;  "  the 
army  of  occupation  is  coming  along,"  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  head  of  the  column  appeared.  What  a 
contrast  to  the  suffering  creatures  we  had  seen  so  long 
were  these  stalwart,  well-fed  men,  so  splendidly  set  up 
and  accoutred!  Sleek  horses,  polished  arms,  bright 
plumes, —  this  was  the  pride  and  panoply  of  war! 
Civilization,  discipline,  and  order  seemed  to  enter  with 
the  measured  tramp  of  those  marching  columns ;  and 


80         ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

the  heart  turned  with  throbs  of  added  pity  to  the  worn 
men  in  gray,  who  were  being  blindly  dashed  against 
this  embodiment  of  modern  power.  And  now  this 
"silence  that  is  golden"  indeed  is  over  all,  and  my 
limbs  are  unhurt,  and  I  suppose  if  I  were  a  Catholic,  in 
my  fervent  gratitude  I  would  hie  me  with  a  rich  offer 
ing  to  the  shrine  of  "  our  Lady  of  Mercy." 

July  7. —  I  did  not  enjoy  quiet  long.  First  came 
Martha,  who  announced  her  intention  of  going  to 
search  for  her  sons,  as  she  was  free  now.  I  was  hardly 
able  to  stand  since  the  severe  cold  taken  in  the  cave 
that  night ;  but  she  would  not  wait  a  day.  A  colored 
woman  came  in  and  said  she  had  asked  her  mistress 
for  wages  and  she  had  turned  her  out  (wanting  a 
place).  I  was  in  no  condition  to  stand  upon  ceremony 
then,  and  engaged  her  at  once,  but  hear  to-day  that  I 
am  thoroughly  pulled  to  pieces  in  Vicksburg  circles ; 
there  is  no  more  salvation  for  me.  Next  came  two 
Federal  officers  and  wanted  rooms  and  board.  To  have 
some  protection  was  a  necessity ;  both  armies  were 
still  in  town,  and  for  the  past  three  days  every  Confed 
erate  soldier  I  see  has  a  cracker  in  his  hand.  There  is 
hardly  any  water  in  town,  no  prospect  of  rain,  and  the 
soldiers  have  emptied  one  cistern  in  the  yard  already 
and  begun  on  the  other.  The  colonel  put  a  guard  at 
the  gate  to  limit  the  water  given.  Next  came  the 
owner  of  the  house  and  said  we  must  move;  he 
wanted  the  house,  but  it  was  so  big  he  'd  just  bring 
his  family  in ;  we  could  stay  till  we  got  one.  They 
brought  boarders  with  them  too,  and  children.  Men 
are  at  work  all  over  the  house  shoveling  up  the  plaster 
before  repairing.  Up-stairs  they  are  pouring  it  by 


WAR  DIARY   OF   A   UNION   WOMAN   IN   THE   SOUTH        81 

bucketfuls  through,  the  windows.  Colonel  D.  brought 
work  for  H.  to  help  with  from  headquarters.  Making 
out  the  paroles  and  copying  them  has  taken  so  long 
they  wanted  help.  I  am  surprised  and  mortified  to 
find  that  two  thirds  of  all  the  men  who  have  signed 
made  their  mark ;  they  cannot  write.  I  never  thought 
there  was  so  much  ignorance  in  the  South.  One  of  the 
men  at  headquarters  took  a  fancy  to  H.,  and  presented 
him  with  a  portfolio  that  he  said  he  had  captured 
when  the  Confederates  evacuated  their  headquarters  at 
Jackson.  It  contained  mostly  family  letters  written  in 
French,  and  a  few  official  papers.  Among  them  was 
the  following  note,  which  I  will  copy  here,  and  file 
away  the  original  as  a  curiosity  when  the  war  is  over. 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPT.  OF  TENN. 

TUPELO,  Aug.  6,  1862. 

CAPT  :  The  Major- General  Commanding  directs  me  to  say  that  he 
submits  it  altogether  to  your  own  discretion  whether  you  make  the 
attempt  to  capture  General  Grant  or  not.  While  the  exploit  would 
be  very  brilliant  if  successful,  you  must  remember  that  failure  would 
be  disastrous  to  you  and  your  men.  The  General  commends  your 
activity  and  energy,  and  expects  you  to  continue  to  show  these 

qualities. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  yr.  obt.  svt. 

THOMAS  L.  SNEAD,  A.  A.  G. 
CAPT.  GEO.  L.  BAXTER, 

Commanding  Beauregard  Scouts. 

I  would  like  to  know  if  he  tried  it  and  came  to  grief 
or  abandoned  the  project.  As  letters  can  now  get 
through  to  New  Orleans,  I  wrote  there. 

July  14. —  Moved  yesterday  into  a  house  I  call  "Fair 
Rosamond's  bower "  because  it  would  take  a  clue  of 


82         ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

thread  to  go  through  it  without  getting  lost.  One 
room  has  five  doors  opening  into  the  house,  and  no 
windows.  The  stairs  are  like  ladders,  and  the 
colonel's  contraband  valet  won't  risk  his  neck  taking 
down  water,  but  pours  it  through  the  windows  on 
people's  heads.  We  sha'n't  stay  in  it.  Men  are  at 
work  closing  up  the  caves ;  they  had  become  hiding- 
places  for  trash.  Vicksburg  is  now  like  one  vast 
hospital — every  one  is  getting  sick  or  is  sick.  My  cook 
was  taken  to-day  with  bilious  fever,  and  nothing  but 
will  keeps  me  up. 

July  23. — We  moved  again  two  days  ago. 

Aug,  20. —  Sitting  in  my  easy-chair  to-day,  looking 
out  upon  a  grassy  slope  of  the  hill  in  the  rear  of  this 
house,  I  have  looked  over  this  journal  as  if  in  a  dream ; 
for  since  the  last  date  sickness  and  sorrow  have  been 
with  me.  I  feel  as  if  an  angry  wave  had  passed  over 
me,  bearing  away  strength  and  treasure.  For  on  one 
day  there  came  to  me  from  New  Orleans  the  news  of 
Mrs.  B.'s  death,  a  friend  whom  no  tie  of  blood  could 
have  made  nearer.  The  next  day  my  beautiful  boy 
ended  his  brief  life  of  ten  days,  and  died  in  my  arms. 
My  own  illness  caused  him  to  perish ;  the  fatal  cold  in 
the  cave  was  the  last  straw  that  broke  down  strength. 
The  colonel's  sweet  wife  has  come,  and  I  do  not  lack 
now  for  womanly  companionship.  She  says  that  with 
such  a  prenatal  experience  perhaps  death  was  the  best 
for  him.  I  try  to  think  so,  and  to  be  glad  that  H.  has 
not  been  ill,  though  I  see  the  effects.  This  book  is  ex 
hausted,  and  I  wonder  whether  there  will  be  more  ad 
ventures  by  flood  and  field  to  cause  me  to  begin 
another. 


THE  LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE  IN   GEORGIA 

BY   WILLIAM   PITTENGER 


TT^HE  railroad  raid  to  Georgia,  in  the  spring  of  1862, 
JL  has  always  been  considered  to  rank  high  among 
the  striking  and  novel  incidents  of  the  civil  war.  At 
that  time  G-eneral  0.  M.  Mitchel,  under  whose  authority 
it  was  organized,  commanded  Union  forces  in  middle 
Tennessee,  consisting  of  a  division  of  BuelPs  army. 
The  Confederates  were  concentrating  at  Corinth, 
Mississippi,  and  Grant  and  Buell  were  advancing  by 
different  routes  toward  that  point.  Mitchel's  orders 
required  him  to  protect  Nashville  and  the  country 
around,  but  allowed  him  great  latitude  in  the  dispo 
sition  of  his  division,  which,  with  detachments  and 
garrisons,  numbered  nearly  seventeen  thousand  men. 
His  attention  had  long  been  strongly  turned  toward 
the  liberation  of  east  Tennessee,  which  he  knew  that 
President  Lincoln  also  earnestly  desired,  and  which 
would,  if  achieved,  strike  a  most  damaging  blow  at 
the  resources  of  the  rebellion.  A  Union  army  once  in 
possession  of  east  Tennessee  would  have  the  inestim 
able  advantage,  found  nowhere  else  in  the  South,  of 
operating  in  the  midst  of  a  friendly  population,  and 
having  at  hand  abundant  supplies  of  all  kinds. 
Mitchel  had  no  reason  to  believe  that  Corinth  would 


84          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

detain  the  Union  armies  much  longer  than  Fort  Donel- 
son  had  done,  and  was  satisfied  that  as  soon  as  that 
position  had  been  captured  the  next  movement  would 
be  eastward  toward  Chattanooga,  thus  throwing  his 
own  division  in  advance.  He  determined,  therefore,  to 
press  into  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country  as  far  as 
possible,  occupying  strategical  points  before  they  were 
adequately  defended  and  assured  of  speedy  and  power 
ful  reinforcement.  To  this  end  his  measures  were 
vigorous  and  well  chosen. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1862,— the  day  after  the  battle 
of  Pittsburg  Landing,  of  which,  however,  Mitchel  had 
received  no  intelligence, —  he  marched  swiftly  south 
ward  from  Shelby ville,  and  seized  Hunts ville  in 
Alabama  on  the  llth  of  April,  and  then  sent  a  detach 
ment  westward  over  the  Memphis  and  Charleston 
Railroad  to  open  railway  communication  with  the 
Union  army  at  Pittsburg  Landing.  Another  detach 
ment,  commanded  by  Mitchel  in  person,  advanced  on 
the  same  day  seventy  miles  by  rail  directly  into  the 
enemy's  territory,  arriving  unchecked  with  two  thou 
sand  men  within  thirty  miles  of  Chattanooga, —  in  two 
hours'  time  he  could  now  reach  that  point, —  the  most 
important  position  in  the  West.  Why  did  he  not  go 
on?  The  story  of  the  railroad  raid  is  the  answer.  The 
night  before  breaking  camp  at  Shelby  ville,  Mitchel  sent 
an  expedition  secretly  into  the  heart  of  Georgia  to  cut 
the  railroad  communications  of  Chattanooga  to  the 
south  and  east.  The  fortune  of  this  attempt  had  a 
most  important  bearing  upon  his  movements,  and  will 
now  be  narrated. 

In  the  employ  of  General  Buell  was  a  spy  named 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN    GEORGIA 


85 


Jarnes  J.  Andrews,  who  had  rendered  valuable  services 
in  the  first  year  of  the  war,  and  had  secured  the  full 
confidence  of  the  Union  commanders.  In  March,  1862, 
Buell  had  sent  him  secretly  with  eight  men  to  burn 
the  bridges  west  of  Chattanooga;  but  the  failure  of 
expected  cooperation  defeated  the  plan,  and  Andrews, 
after  visiting  Atlanta,  and  inspecting  the  whole  of  the 


enemy's  lines  in  that  vicinity  and  northward,  had  re 
turned,  ambitious  to  make  another  attempt.  His  plans 
for  the  second  raid  were  submitted  to  Mitchel,  and  on 
the  eve  of  the  movement  from  Shelbyville  to  Hunts- 
ville  Mitchel  authorized  him  to  take  twenty-four  men, 
secretly  enter  the  enemy's  territory,  and,  by  means  of 
capturing  a  train,  burn  the  bridges  on  the  northern 
part  of  the  Georgia  State  Railroad,  and  also  one  on 
on  the  East  Tennessee  Railroad  where  it  approaches 
the  Georgia  State  line,  thus  completely  isolating 
Chattanooga,  which  was  virtually  ungarrisoned. 

The  soldiers  for  this  expedition,  of  whom  the  writer 
was  one,  were  selected  from  the  three  Ohio  regiments 
belonging  to  General  J.  W.  Sill's  brigade,  being  simply 


86          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

told  that  they  were  wanted  for  secret  and  very  dan 
gerous  service.  So  far  as  known,  not  a  man  chosen 
declined  the  perilous  honor.  Our  uniforms  were  ex 
changed  for  ordinary  Southern  dress,  and  all  arms 
except  revolvers  were  left  in  camp.  On  the  7th  of 
April,  by  the  roadside  about  a  mile  east  of  Shelbyville, 
in  the  late  evening  twilight,  we  met  our  leader.  Tak 
ing  us  a  little  way  from  the  road,  he  quietly  placed 
before  us  the  outlines  of  the  romantic  and  adventurous 
plan,  which  was:  to  break  into  small  detachments  of 
three  or  four,  journey  eastward  into  the  Cumberland 
Mountains,  then  work  southward,  traveling  by  rail  after 
we  were  well  within  the  Confederate  lines,  and  finally, 
the  evening  of  the  third  day  after  the  start,  meet 
Andrews  at  Marietta,  Georgia,  more  than  two  hundred 
miles  away.  When  questioned,  we  were  to  profess 
ourselves  Kentuckians  going  to  join  the  Southern  army. 

On  the  journey  we  were  a  good  deal  annoyed  by  the 
swollen  streams  and  the  muddy  roads  consequent  on 
three  days  of  almost  ceaseless  rain.  Andrews  was  led 
to  believe  that  Mitchel's  column  would  be  inevitably 
delayed;  and  as  we  were  expected  to  destroy  the 
bridges  the  very  day  that  Huntsville  was  entered,  he 
took  the  responsibility  of  sending  word  to  our  different 
groups  that  our  attempt  would  be  postponed  one 
day — from  Friday  to  Saturday,  April  12.  This  was  a 
natural  but  a  most  lamentable  error  of  judgment. 

One  of  the  men  detailed  was  belated,  and  did  not  join 
us  at  all.  Two  others  were  very  soon  captured  by  the 
enemy;  and  though  their  true  character  was  not 
detected,  they  were  forced  into  the  Southern  army, 
and  two  reached  Marietta,  but  failed  to  report  at  the 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE  IN   GEOKGIA  87 

rendezvous.  Thus,  when  we  assembled  very  early  in 
the  morning  in  Andrews's  room  at  the  Marietta  Hotel 
for  final  consultation  before  the  blow  was  struck  we 
were  but  twenty,  including  our  leader.  All  preliminary 
difficulties  had  been  easily  overcome,  and  we  were  in 
good  spirits.  But  some  serious  obstacles  had  been 
revealed  on  our  ride  from  Chattanooga  to  Marietta  the 
previous  evening.1  The  railroad  was  found  to  be 
crowded  with  trains,  and  many  soldiers  were  among 
the  passengers.  Then  the  station — Big  Shanty — at 
which  the  capture  was  to  be  effected  had  recently  been 
made  a  Confederate  camp.  To  succeed  in  our  enter 
prise  it  would  be  necessary  first  to  capture  the  engine 
in  a  guarded  camp  with  soldiers  standing  around  as 
spectators,  and  then  to  run  it  from  one  to  two  hundred 
miles  through  the  enemy's  country,  and  to  deceive  or 
overpower  all  trains  that  should  be  met — a  large  con 
tract  for  twenty  men.  Some  of  our  party  thought  the 
chances  of  success  so  slight,  under  existing  circum 
stances,  that  they  urged  the  abandonment  of  the  whole 
enterprise.  But  Andrews  declared  his  purpose  to 
succeed  or  die,  offering  to  each  man,  however,  the 
privilege  of  withdrawing  from  the  attempt — an  offer 
no  one  was  in  the  least  disposed  to  accept.  Final 
instructions  were  then  given,  and  we  hurried  to  the 
ticket-office  in  time  for  the  northward-bound  mail- 
train,  and  purchased  tickets  for  different  stations  along 
the  line  in  the  direction  of  Chattanooga. 

Our  ride,  as  passengers,  was  but  eight  miles.    We 


i  The  different  detachments  reached  the  Georgia  State  Railroad  at 
Chattanooga,  and  traveled  as  ordinary  passengers  on  trains  running 
southward.  —  EDITOR. 


88         ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

swept  swiftly  around  the  base  of  Kenesaw  Mountain, 
and  soon  saw  the  tents  of  the  Confederate  forces 
camped  at  Big  Shanty  gleam  white  in  the  morning 
mist.  Here  we  were  to  stop  for  breakfast,  and  attempt 
the  seizure  of  the  train.  The  morning  was  raw  and 
gloomy,  and  a  rain,  which  fell  all  day,  had  already 
begun.  It  was  a  painfully  thrilling  moment.  We  were 
but  twenty,  with  an  army  about  us,  and  a  long  and 
difficult  road  before  us,  crowded  with  enemies.  In  an 
instant  we  were  to  throw  off  the  disguise  which  had 
been  our  only  protection,  and  trust  to  our  leader's  genius 
and  our  own  efforts  for  safety  and  success.  Fortun 
ately  we  had  no  time  for  giving  way  to  reflections  and 
conjectures  which  could  only  unfit  us  for  the  stern 
task  ahead. 

When  we  stopped,  the  conductor,  the  engineer,  and 
many  of  the  passengers  hurried  to  breakfast,  leaving 
the  train  unguarded.  Now  was  the  moment  of  action. 
Ascertaining  that  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  a 
rapid  start,  Andrews,  our  two  engineers,  Brown  and 
Knight,  and  the  firemen  hurried  forward,  uncoupling  a 
section  of  the  train  consisting  of  three  empty  baggage 
or  box-cars,  the  locomotive,  and  the  tender.  The 
engineers  and  the  firemen  sprang  into  the  cab  of  the 
engine,  while  Andrews,  with  hand  on  the  rail  and  foot 
on  the  step,  waited  to  see  that  the  remainder  of  the 
party  had  gained  entrance  into  the  rear  box-car.  This 
seemed  difficult  and  slow,  though  it  really  consumed 
but  a  few  seconds,  for  the  car  stood  on  a  considerable 
bank,  and  the  first  who  came  were  pitched  in  by  their 
comrades,  while  these  in  turn  dragged  in  the  others, 
and  the  door  was  instantly  closed.  A  sentinel,  with 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN   GEOKGIA  89 

musket  in  hand,  stood  not  a  dozen  feet  from  the 
engine,  watching  the  whole  proceeding ;  but  before  he 
or  any  of  the  soldiers  or  guards  around  could  make  up 
their  minds  to  interfere  all  was  done,  and  Andrews, 
with  a  nod  to  his  engineer,  stepped  on  board.  The 
valve  was  pulled  wide  open,  and  for  a  moment  the 
wheels  slipped  round  in  rapid,  ineffective  revolutions ; 
then,  with  a  bound  that  jerked  the  soldiers  in  the  box 
car  from  their  feet,  the  little  train  darted  away,  leaving 
the  camp  and  the  station  in  the  wildest  uproar  and 
confusion.  The  first  step  of  the  enterprise  was 
triumphantly  accomplished. 

According  to  the  time-table,  of  which  Andrews  had 
secured  a  copy,  there  were  two  trains  to  be  met. 
These  presented  no  serious  hindrance  to  our  attaining 
high  speed,  for  we  could  tell  just  where  to  expect 
them.  There  was  also  a  local  freight  not  down  on  the 
time-table,  but  which  could  not  be  far  distant.  Any 
danger  of  collision  with  it  could  be  avoided  by  running 
according  to  the  schedule  of  the  captured  train  until 
it  was  passed;  then  at  the  highest  possible  speed  we 
could  run  to  the  Oostenaula  and  Chickamauga  bridges, 
lay  them  in  ashes,  and  pass  on  through  Chattanooga 
to  Mitchel  at  Huntsville,  or  wherever  eastward  of  that 
point  he  might  be  found,  arriving  long  before  the  close 
of  the  day.  It  was  a  brilliant  prospect,  and  so  far  as 
human  estimates  can  determine  it  would  have  been 
realized  had  the  day  been  Friday  instead  of  Saturday. 
On  Friday  every  train  had  been  on  time,  the  day  dry, 
and  the  road  in  perfect  order.  Now  the  road  was  in 
disorder,  every  train  far  behind  time,  and  two  "extras" 
were  approaching  us.  But  of  these  unfavorable  condi- 


90          ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

tions  we  knew  nothing,  and  pressed  confidently  for 
ward. 

We  stopped  frequently,  and  at  one  point  tore  up  the 
track,  cut  telegraph  wires,  and  loaded  on  cross-ties  to 
be  used  in  bridge-burning.  Wood  and  water  were 
taken  without  difficulty,  Andrews  very  coolly  telling 
the  story  to  which  he  adhered  throughout  the  run  — 
namely,  that  he  was  one  of  General  Beauregard's  offi 
cers,  running  an  impressed  powder-train  through  to 
that  commander  at  Corinth.  We  had  no  good  instru 
ments  for  track-raising,  as  we  had  intended  rather  to 
depend  upon  fire;  but  the  amount  of  time  spent  in  tak 
ing  up  a  rail  was  not  material  at  this  stage  of  our  jour 
ney,  as  we  easily  kept  on  the  time  of  our  captured 
train.  There  was  a  wonderful  exhilaration  in  passing 
swiftly  by  towns  and  stations  through  the  heart  of  an 
enemy's  country  in  this  manner.  It  possessed  just 
enough  of  the  spice  of  danger,  in  this  part  of  the  run, 
to  render  it  thoroughly  enjoyable.  The  slightest  acci 
dent  to  our  engine,  however,  or  a  miscarriage  in  any 
part  of  our  program,  would  have  completely  changed 
the  conditions. 

At  Etowah  we  found  the  "  Yonah,"  an  old  locomotive 
owned  by  an  iron  company,  standing  with  steam  up; 
but  not  wishing  to  alarm  the  enemy  till  the  local 
freight  had  been  safely  met,  we  left  it  unharmed. 
Kingston,  thirty  miles  from  the  starting-point,  was 
safely  reached.  A  train  from  Rome,  Georgia,  on  a 
branch  road,  had  just  arrived  and  was  waiting  for 
the  morning  mail — our  train.  We  learned  that  the 
local  freight  would  soon  come  also,  and,  taking  the 
side-track,  waited  for  it.  When  it  arrived,  however, 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN   GEOKGIA  91 

Andrews  saw,  to  Ms  surprise  and  chagrin,  that  it  bore 
a  red  flag,  indicating  another  train  not  far  behind. 
Stepping  over  to  the  conductor,  he  boldly  asked: 
"What  does  it  mean  that  the  road  is  blocked  in  this 
manner  when  I  have  orders  to  take  this  powder  to 
Beauregard  without  a  minute's  delay?"  The  answer 
was  interesting,  but  not  reassuring:  "Mitchel  has  cap 
tured  Huntsville,  and  is  said  to  be  coming  to  Chatta 
nooga,  and  we  are  getting  everything  out  of  there." 
He  was  asked  by  Andrews  to  pull  his  train  a  long  way 
down  the  track  out  of  the  way,  and  promptly  obeyed. 

It  seemed  an  exceedingly  long  time  before  the  ex 
pected  "  extra "  arrived,  and  when  it  did  come  it  bore 
another  red  flag.  The  reason  given  was  that  the 
"local,"  being  too  great  for  one  engine,  had  been  made 
up  in  two  sections,  and  the  second  section  would 
doubtless  be  along  in  a  short  time.  This  was  terribly 
vexatious ;  yet  there  seemed  nothing  to  do  but  to  wait. 
To  start  out  between  the  sections  of  an  extra  train 
would  be  to  court  destruction.  There  were  already 
three  trains  around  us,  and  their  many  passengers  and 
others  were  all  growing  very  curious  about  the  mys 
terious  train,  manned  by  strangers,  which  had  arrived 
on  the  time  of  the  morning  mail.  For  an  hour  and 
five  minutes  from  the  time  of  arrival  at  Kingston  we 
remained  in  this  most  critical  position.  The  sixteen  of 
us  who  were  shut  up  tightly  in  a  box-car, —  person 
ating  Beauregard's  ammunition, — hearing  sounds  out 
side,  but  unable  to  distinguish  words,  had  perhaps  the 
most  trying  position.  Andrews  sent  us,  by  one  of  the 
engineers,  a  cautious  warning  to  be  ready  to  fight  in 
case  the  uneasiness  of  the  crowd  around  led  them  to 


92          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL  WAR 

make  any  investigation,  while  he  himself  kept  near  the 
station  to  prevent  the  sending  off  of  any  alarming 
telegram.  So  intolerable  was  our  suspense,  that  the 
order  for  a  deadly  conflict  would  have  been  felt  as  a 
relief.  But  the  assurance  of  Andrews  quieted  the 
crowd  until  the  whistle  of  the  expected  train  from  the 
north  was  heard;  then  as  it  glided  up  to  the  depot, 
past  the  end  of  our  side-track,  we  were  off  without 
more  words. 

But  unexpected  danger  had  arisen  behind  us.  Out 
of  the  panic  at  Big  Shanty  two  men  emerged,  deter 
mined,  if  possible,  to  foil  the  unknown  captors  of  their 
train.  There  was  no  telegraph  station,  and  no  loco 
motive  at  hand  with  which  to  follow ;  but  the  conduc 
tor  of  the  train,  W.  A.  Fuller,  and  Anthony  Murphy, 
foreman  of  the  Atlanta  railway  machine-shops,  who 
happened  to  be  on  board  of  Fuller's  train,  started  on 
foot  after  us  as  hard  as  they  could  run.  Finding  a 
hand-car  they  mounted  it  and  pushed  forward  till 
they  neared  Etowah,  where  they  ran  on  the  break  we 
had  made  in  the  road,  and  were  precipitated  down  the 
embankment  into  the  ditch.  Continuing  with  more 
caution,  they  reached  Etowah  and  found  the  "Yonah," 
which  was  at  once  pressed  into  service,  loaded  with 
soldiers  who  were  at  hand,  and  hurried  with  flying 
wheels  toward  Kingston.  Fuller  prepared  to  fight  at 
that  point,  for  he  knew  of  the  tangle  of  extra  trains, 
and  of  the  lateness  of  the  regular  trains,  and  did  not 
think  we  should  be  able  to  pass.  We  had  been  gone 
only  four  minutes  when  he  arrived  and  found  himself 
stopped  by  three  long,  heavy  trains  of  cars,  headed  in 
the  wrong  direction.  To  move  them  out  of  the  way  so 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN   GEORGIA  93 

as  to  pass  would  cause  a  delay  lie  was  little  inclined  to 
afford — would,  indeed,  have  almost  certainly  given  us 
the  victory.  So,  abandoning  his  engine,  he  with  Mur 
phy  ran  across  to  the  Rome  train,  and,  uncoupling  the 
engine  and  one  car,  pushed  forward  with  about  forty 
armed  men.  As  the  Rome  branch  connected  with  the 
main  road  above  the  depot,  he  encountered  no  hin 
drance,  and  it  was  now  a  fair  race.  We  were  not  many 
minutes  ahead. 

Four  miles  from  Kingston  we  again  stopped  and 
cut  the  telegraph.  While  trying  to  take  up  a  rail  at 
this  point  we  were  greatly  startled.  One  end  of  the 
rail  was  loosened,  and  eight  of  us  were  pulling  at  it, 
when  in  the  distance  we  distinctly  heard  the  whistle 
of  a  pursuing  engine.  With  a  frantic  effort  we  broke 
the  rail,  and  all  tumbled  over  the  embankment  with 
the  effort.  We  moved  on,  and  at  Adairsville  we  found 
a  mixed  train  (freight  and  passenger)  waiting,  but 
there  was  an  express  on  the  road  that  had  not  yet 
arrived.  We  could  afford  no  more  delay,  and  set  out 
for  the  next  station,  Calhoun,  at  terrible  speed,  hoping 
to  reach  that  point  before  the  express,  which  was  be 
hind  time,  should  arrive.  The  nine  miles  which  we 
had  to  travel  were  left  behind  in  less  than  the  same 
number  of  minutes.  The  express  was  just  pulling  out, 
but,  hearing  our  whistle,  backed  before  us  until  we 
were  able  to  take  the  side-track.  It  stopped,  however, 
in  such  a  manner  as  completely  to  close  up  the  other 
end  of  the  switch.  The  two  trains,  side  by  side,  almost 
touched  each  other,  and  our  precipitate  arrival  caused 
natural  suspicion.  Many  searching  questions  were 
asked,  which  had  to  be  answered  before  we  could  get  the 


94         ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

opportunity  of  proceeding.  We  in  the  box-car  could 
hear  the  altercation,  and  were  almost  sure  that  a  fight 
would  be  necessary  before  the  conductor  would  con 
sent  to  "pull  up"  in  order  to  let  us  out.  Here  again 
our  position  was  most  critical,  for  the  pursuers  were 
rapidly  approaching. 

Fuller  and  Murphy  saw  the  obstruction  of  the 
broken  rail  in  time,  by  reversing  their  engine,  to  pre 
vent  wreck,  but  the  hindrance  was  for  the  present 
insuperable.  Leaving  all  their  men  behind,  they 
started  for  a  second  foot-race.  Before  they  had  gone 
far  they  met  the  train  we  had  passed  at  Adairsville, 
and  turned  it  back  after  us.  At  Adairsville  they 
dropped  the  cars,  and  with  locomotive  and  tender 
loaded  with  armed  men,  they  drove  forward  at  the 
highest  speed  possible.  They  knew  that  we  were  not 
many  minutes  ahead,  and  trusted  to  overhaul  us  before 
the  express  train  could  be  safely  passed. 

But  Andrews  had  told  the  powder  story  again  with 
all  his  skill,  and  added  a  direct  request  in  peremptory 
form  to  have  the  way  opened  before  him,  which  the 
Confederate  conductor  did  not  see  fit  to  resist;  and 
just  before  the  pursuers  arrived  at  Calhoun  we  were 
again  under  way.  Stopping  once  more  to  cut  wires 
and  tear  up  the  track,  we  felt  a  thrill  of  exhilaration 
to  which  we  had  long  been  strangers.  The  track  was 
now  clear  before  us  to  Chattanooga;  and  even  west 
of  that  city  we  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  we 
should  find  no  other  train  in  the  way  till  we  had 
reached  Mitch ePs  lines.  If  one  rail  could  now  be 
lifted  we  would  be  in  a  few  minutes  at  the  Oostenaula 
bridge ;  and  that  burned,  the  rest  of  the  task  would  be 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN   GEOKGIA  95 

little  more  than  simple  manual  labor,  with  the  enemy 
absolutely  powerless.  We  worked  with  a  will. 

But  in  a  moment  the  tables  were  turned.  Not  far 
behind  we  heard  the  scream  of  a  locomotive  bearing 
down  upon  us  at  lightning  speed.  The  men  on  board 
were  in  plain  sight  and  well  armed.  Two  minutes — 
perhaps  one — would  have  removed  the  rail  at  which 
we  were  toiling;  then  the  game  would  have  been  in 
our  own  hands,  for  there  was  no  other  locomotive 
beyond  that  could  be  turned  back  after  us.  But  the 
most  desperate  efforts  were  in  vain.  The  rail  was 
simply  bent,  and  we  hurried  to  our  engine  and  darted 
away,  while  remorselessly  after  us  thundered  the 
enemy. 

Now  the  contestants  were  in  clear  view,  and  a  race 
followed  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  war.  Wishing 
to  gain  a  little  time  for  the  burning  of  the  Oostenaula 
bridge,  we  dropped  one  car,  and,  shortly  after,  another; 
but  they  were  "picked  up"  and  pushed  ahead  to  Resaca. 
We  were  obliged  to  run  over  the  high  trestles  and 
covered  bridge  at  that  point  without  a  pause.  This 
was  the  first  failure  in  the  work  assigned  us. 

The  Confederates  could  not  overtake  and  stop  us  on 
the  road;  but  their  aim  was  to  keep  close  behind,  so 
that  we  might  not  be  able  to  damage  the  road  or  take 
in  wood  or  water.  In  the  former  they  succeeded,  but 
not  in  the  latter.  Both  engines  were  put  at  the  highest 
rate  of  speed.  We  were  obliged  to  cut  the  wire  after 
every  station  passed,  in  order  that  an  alarm  might  not 
be  sent  ahead;  and  we  constantly  strove  to  throw  our 
pursuers  off  the  track,  or  to  obstruct  the  road  perma 
nently  in  some  way,  so  that  we  might  be  able  to  burn 


96         ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAE 

the  Chickamauga  bridges,  still  ahead.  The  chances 
seemed  good  that  Fuller  and  Murphy  would  be  wrecked. 
We  broke  out  the  end  of  our  last  box-car  and  dropped 
cross-ties  on  the  track  as  we  ran,  thus  checking  their 
progress  and  getting  far  enough  ahead  to  take  in  wood 
and  water  at  two  separate  stations.  Several  times  we 
almost  lifted  a  rail,  but  each  time  the  coming  of  the 
Confederates  within  rifle-range  compelled  us  to  desist 
and  speed  on.  Our  worst  hindrance  was  the  rain. 
The  previous  day  (Friday)  had  been  clear,  with  a  high 
wind,  and  on  such  a  day  fire  would  have  been  easily 
and  tremendously  effective.  But  to-day  a  bridge  could 
be  burned  only  with  abundance  of  fuel  and  careful 
nursing. 

Thus  we  sped  on,  mile  after  mile,  in  this  fearful 
chase,  round  curves  and  past  stations  in  seemingly 
endless  perspective.  Whenever  we  lost  sight  of  the 
enemy  beyond  a  curve,  we  hoped  that  some  of  our 
obstructions  had  been  effective  in  throwing  him  from 
the  track,  and  that  we  should  see  him  no  more;  but  at 
each  long  reach  backward  the  smoke  was  again  seen, 
and  the  shrill  whistle  was  like  the  scream  of  a  bird  of 
prey.  The  time  could  not  have  been  so  very  long,  for 
the  terrible  speed  was  rapidly  devouring  the  distance; 
but  with  our  nerves  strained  to  the  highest  tension 
each  minute  seemed  an  hour.  On  several  occasions 
the  escape  of  the  enemy  from  wreck  was  little  less 
than  miraculous.  At  one  point  a  rail  was  placed  across 
the  track  on  a  curve  so  skilfully  that  it  was  not  seen 
till  the  train  ran  upon  it  at  full  speed.  Fuller  says 
that  they  were  terribly  jolted,  and  seemed  to  bounce 
altogether  from  the  track,  but  lighted  on  the  rails  in 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN    GEORGIA  97 

safety.  Some  of  the  Confederates  wished  to  leave  a 
train  which  was  driven  at  such  a  reckless  rate,  but 
their  wishes  were  not  gratified. 

Before  reaching  Dalton  we  urged  Andrews  to  turn 
and  attack  the  enemy,  laying  an  ambush  so  as  to  get 
into  close  quarters,  that  our  revolvers  might  be  on 
equal  terms  with  their  guns.  I  have  little  doubt  that 
if  this  had  been  carried  out  it  would  have  succeeded. 
But  either  because  he  thought  the  chance  of  wrecking 
or  obstructing  the  enemy  still  good,  or  feared  that  the 
country  ahead  had  been  alarmed  by  a  telegram  around 
the  Confederacy  by  the  way  of  Richmond,  Andrews 
merely  gave  the  plan  his  sanction  without  making  any 
attempt  to  carry  it  into  execution. 

Dalton  was  passed  without  difficulty,  and  beyond 
we  stopped  again  to  cut  wires  and  to  obstruct  the 
track.  It  happened  that  a  regiment  was  encamped  not 
a  hundred  yards  away,  but  they  did  not  molest  us. 
Fuller  had  written  a  despatch  to  Chattanooga,  and 
dropped  a  man  with  orders  to  have  it  forwarded  in 
stantly,  while  he  pushed  on  to  save  the  bridges.  Part 
of  the  message  got  through  and  created  a  wild  panic 
in  Chattanooga,  although  it  did  not  materially  influ 
ence  our  fortunes.  Our  supply  of  fuel  was  now  very 
short,  and  without  getting  rid  of  our  pursuers  long 
enough  to  take  in  more,  it  was  evident  that  we  could 
not  run  as  far  as  Chattanooga. 

While  cutting  the  wire  we  made  an  attempt  to  get 
up  another  rail;  but  the  enemy,  as  usual,  were  too 
quick  for  us.  We  had  no  tool  for  this  purpose  except 
a  wedge-pointed  iron  bar.  Two  or  three  bent  iron 
claws  for  pulling  out  spikes  would  have  given  us  such 


08          ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

incontestable  superiority  that,  down  to  almost  the  last 
of  our  run,  we  should  have  been  able  to  escape  and 
even  to  burn  all  the  Chickamauga  bridges.  But  it  had 
not  been  our  intention  to  rely  on  this  mode  of  obstruc 
tion — an  emergency  only  rendered  necessary  by  our 
unexpected  delay  and  the  pouring  rain. 

We  made  no  attempt  to  damage  the  long  tunnel 
north  of  Dalton,  as  our  enemies  had  greatly  dreaded. 
The  last  hope  of  the  raid  was  now  staked  upon  an 
effort  of  a  kind  different  from  any  that  we  had  yet 
made,  but  which,  if  successful,  would  still  enable  us  to 
destroy  the  bridges  nearest  Chattanooga.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  its  failure  would  terminate  the  chase. 
Life  and  success  were  put  upon  one  throw. 

A  few  more  obstructions  were  dropped  on  the  track, 
and  our  own  speed  increased  so  that  we  soon  forged 
a  considerable  distance  ahead.  The  side  and  end 
boards  of  the  last  car  were  torn  into  shreds,  all  avail 
able  fuel  was  piled  upon  it,  and  blazing  brands  were 
brought  back  from  the  engine.  By  the  time  we  ap 
proached  a  long,  covered  bridge  a  fire  in  the  car 
was  fairly  started.  We  uncoupled  it  in  the  middle 
of  the  bridge,  and  with  painful  suspense  waited  the 
issue.  Oh  for  a  few  minutes  till  the  work  of  conflagra 
tion  was  fairly  begun !  There  was  still  steam  pressure 
enough  in  our  boiler  to  carry  us  to  the  next  wood-yard, 
where  we  could  have  replenished  our  fuel  by  force,  if 
necessary,  so  as  to  run  as  near  to  Chattanooga  as  was 
deemed  prudent.  We  did  not  know  of  the  telegraph 
message  which  the  pursuers  had  sent  ahead.  But, 
alas!  the  minutes  were  not  given.  Before  the  bridge 
was  extensively  fired  the  enemy  was  upon  us,  and  we 


THE  LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN   GEORGIA  99 

moved  slowly  onward,  looking  back  to  see  what  they 
would  do  next.  We  had  not  long  to  conjecture.  The 
Confederates  pushed  right  into  the  smoke,  and  drove 
the  burning  car  before  them  to  the  next  side-track. 

With  no  car  left,  and  no  fuel,  the  last  scrap  having 
been  thrown  into  the  engine  or  upon  the  burning  car, 
and  with  no  obstruction  to  drop  on  the  track,  our 
situation  was  indeed  desperate.  A  few  minutes  only 
remained  until  our  steed  of  iron  which  had  so  well 
served  us  would  be  powerless. 

But  it  might  still  be  possible  to  save  ourselves.  If 
we  left  the  train  in  a  body,  and,  taking  a  direct  course 
toward  the  Union  lines,  hurried  over  the  mountains  at 
right  angles  with  their  course,  we  could  not,  from  the 
nature  of  the  country,  be  followed  by  cavalry,  and 
could  easily  travel — athletic  young  men  as  we  were, 
and  fleeing  for  life — as  rapidly  as  any  pursuers.  There 
was  no  telegraph  in  the  mountainous  districts  west 
and  northwest  of  us,  and  the  prospect  of  reaching  the 
Union  lines  seemed  to  me  then,  and  has  always  since 
seemed,  very  fair.  Confederate  pursuers  with  whom  I 
have  since  conversed  freely  have  agreed  on  two  points 
—  that  we  could  have  escaped  in  the  manner  here 
pointed  out,  and  that  an  attack  on  the  pursuing  train 
would  likely  have  been  successful.  But  Andrews 
thought  otherwise,  at  least  in  relation  to  the  former 
plan,  and  ordered  us  to  jump  from  the  locomotive  one 
by  one,  and,  dispersing  in  the  woods,  each  endeavor  to 
save  himself.  Thus  ended  the  Andrews  railroad  raid. 

It  is  easy  now  to  understand  why  Mitchel  paused 
thirty  miles  west  of  Chattanooga.  The  Andrews 
raiders  had  been  forced  to  stop  eighteen  miles  south  of 


100       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

the  same  town,  and  no  flying  train  met  him  with  the 
expected  tidings  that  all  railroad  communications  of 
Chattanooga  were  destroyed,  and  that  the  town  was  in 
a  panic  and  undefended.  He  dared  advance  no  farther 
without  heavy  reinforcements  from.  Pittsburg  Landing 
or  the  north ;  and  he  probably  believed  to  the  day  of 
his  death,  six  months  later,  that  the  whole  Andrews 
party  had  perished  without  accomplishing  anything. 

A  few  words  will  give  the  sequel  to  this  remarkable 
enterprise.  There  was  great  excitement  in  Chattanooga 
and  in  the  whole  of  the  surrounding  Confederate 
territory  for  scores  of  miles.  The  hunt  for  the  fugitive 
raiders  was  prompt,  energetic,  and  completely  success 
ful.  Ignorant  of  the  country,  disorganized,  and  far 
from  the  Union  lines,  they  strove  in  vain  to  escape. 
Several  were  captured  the  same  day  on  which  they 
left  the  cars,  and  all  but  two  within  a  week.  Even 
these  two  were  overtaken  and  brought  back  when  they 
supposed  that  they  were  virtually  out  of  danger.  Two 
of  those  who  had  failed  to  be  on  the  train  were 
identified  and  added  to  the  band  of  prisoners. 

Now  follows  the  saddest  part  of  the  story.  Being  in 
citizens'  dress  within  an  enemy's  lines,  the  whole  party 
were  held  as  spies,  and  closely  and  vigorously  guarded. 
A  court-martial  was  convened,  and  the  leader  and 
seven  others  out  of  the  twenty-two  were  condemned 
and  executed.  The  remainder  were  never  brought  to 
trial,  probably  because  of  the  advance  of  Union  forces, 
and  the  consequent  confusion  into  which  the  affairs  of 
the  departments  of  east  Tennessee  and  Georgia  were 
thrown.  Of  the  remaining  fourteen,  eight  succeeded 
by  a  bold  effort  —  attacking  their  guard  in  broad  day- 


THE   LOCOMOTIVE   CHASE   IN   GEORGIA 


101 


light — in  making  their  escape  from  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
and  ultimately  in  reaching  the  North.  The  other  six 
who  shared  in  this  effort,  but  were  recaptured,  re 
mained  prisoners  until  the  latter  part  of  March,  1863, 
when  they  were  exchanged  through  a  special  arrange 
ment  made  with  Secretary  Stanton.  All  the  survivors 
of  this  expedition  received  medals  and  promotion.1 
The  pursuers  also  received  expressions  of  gratitude 
from  their  fellow-Confederates,  notably  from  the  gov 
ernor  and  the  legislature  of  Georgia. 


1  Below  is  a  list  of  the  partici 
pants  in  the  raid: 

James  J.  Andrews,*  leader ;  Wil 
liam  Campbell,*  a  civilian  who 
volunteered  to  accompany  the 
raiders;  George  D.  Wilson,*  Com 
pany  B,  2d  Ohio  Volunteers ;  Marion 
A.  Ross,*  Company  A,  2d  Ohio 
Volunteers;  Perry  G.  Shadraek,* 
Company  K,  2d  Ohio  Volunteers ; 
Samuel  Slavens,*  33d  Ohio  Volun 
teers  ;  Samuel  Robinson,*  Company 
G,  33d  Ohio  Volunteers ;  John  Scott,  * 
Company  K,  21st  Ohio  Volunteers; 
Wilson  W.  Brown,t  Company  F,  21st 
Ohio  Volunteers;  William  Knight, t 
Company  E,  21st  Ohio  Volunteers; 
Mark  Wood,t  Company  C,  21st  Ohio 
Volunteers;  James  A.  Wilson,  t 
Company  C,  21st  Ohio  Volunteers ; 


John  Wollam,t  Company  C,  33d  Ohio 
Volunteers ;  D.  A.  Dorsey,f  Company 
H,  33d  Ohio  Volunteers;  Jacob 
Parrott,i  Company  K,  33d  Ohio 
Volunteers ;  Robert  Buffum,t  Com 
pany  H,  21st  Ohio  Volunteers; 
William  Benzinger,t  Company  G, 
21st  Ohio  Volunteers ;  William  Red- 
dick,J  Company  B,  33d  Ohio  Volun 
teers  ;  E.  H.  Mason, t  Company  K, 
21st  Ohio  Volunteers ;  William  Pit- 
tenger,}  Company  G,  2d  Ohio  Vol 
unteers. 

J.R.  Porter,  Company  C,  21st  Ohio, 
and  Martin  J.  Hawkins,  Company 
A,  33d  Ohio,  reached  Marietta,  but 
did  not  get  on  board  of  the  train. 
They  were  captured  and  imprisoned 
with  their  comrades. 
*  Executed,  t  Escaped.  J  Exchanged. 


MOSBY'S  "PARTIZAN  RANGERS » 

BY   A.   E.   EICHAKDS 

DUBING  the  early  stages  of  the  war  between  the 
States,  the  Confederate  Congress  enacted  a  statute 
known  as  the  Partizan  Eanger  Act,  which  provided  for 
independent  bodies  of  cavalry  to  be  organized  as  other 
government  troops.  The  officers  were  to  be  regularly 
commissioned  and  the  men  to  be  paid  like  other 
soldiers.  The  distinctive  features  were,  that  the 
rangers  should  operate  independently  of  the  regular 
army  and  be  entitled  to  the  legitimate  spoil  captured 
from  the  enemy. 

While  John  S.  Mosby  was  employed  as  a  scout  by 
General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  he  had  concluded  that  a  com 
mand  organized  and  operated  as  contemplated  by  this 
act  could  do  great  damage  to  the  enemy  guarding  that 
portion  of  Northern  Virginia  abandoned  by  the  Con 
federate  armies.  But  the  partizan  branch  of  the  service 
having  been  brought  into  disrepute  by  the  worse  than 
futile  efforts  of  others,  his  superior  officers  at  first 
refused  him  permission  to  engage  in  so  questionable 
an  enterprise.  Finally,  however,  General  Stuart  gave 
Mosby  a  detail  of  nine  men  from  the  regular  cavalry 
with  which  to  experiment. 

At  that  time  the  two  main  armies  operating  in 
Virginia  were  confronting  each  other  near  Fredericks- 

102 


MOSBY'S    "PABTIZAN    KAN  GEES"  103 

burg.  To  protect  their  lines  of  communication  with 
Washington,  the  Federals  had  stationed  a  considerable 
force  across  the  Potomac,  with  headquarters  at  Fairfax 
Court-house.  They  also  established  a  complete  cordon 
of  pickets  from  a  point  on  the  river  above  Washington 
to  a  point  below,  thus  encompassing  many  square  miles 
of  Virginia  territory.  Upon  these  outposts  Mosby 
commenced  his  operations.  The  size  of  his  command 
compelled  him  to  confine  his  attacks  to  the  small 
details  made  nightly  for  picket  duty.  But  he  was  so 
uniformly  successful  that  when  the  time  came  for  him 
to  report  back  to  General  Stuart,  that  officer  was  so 
pleased  with  the  experiment  that  he  allowed  Mosby 
to  select  fifteen  men  from  his  old  regiment  and  re 
turn,  for  an  indefinite  period,  to  his  chosen  field  of 
operations. 

His  first  exploits  had  been  so  noised  abroad  that  the 
young  men  from  the  neighboring  counties  and  the  sol 
diers  at  home  on  furloughs  would  request  permission  to 
join  in  his  raids.  He  could  easily  muster  fifty  of  these, 
known  as  "Mosby's  Conglomerates,"  for  any  expedition. 
The  opportunity  for  developing  his  ideas  of  border 
warfare  was  thus  presented.  With  great  vigor  he 
renewed  his  attacks  upon  the  Federal  outposts.  As  a 
recognition  of  one  of  his  successful  exploits,  the  Con 
federate  government  sent  him  a  captain's  commission 
with  authority  to  raise  a  company  of  partlzan  rangers. 
The  material  for  this  was  already  at  hand,  and  on 
June  10,  1862,  he  organized  his  first  company.  This 
was  the  nucleus  around  which  he  subsequently  shaped 
his  ideal  command.  The  fame  of  his  achievements  had 
already  spread  throughout  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and 


104       ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

attracted  to  his  standard  many  kindred  spirits  from 
both  States.  No  conscripting  was  necessary.  Those 
for  whom  this  mode  of  warfare  possessed  a  charm 
would  brave  hardship  and  danger  for  the  privilege  of 
enlisting  under  his  banner.  His  recruits  from  Mary 
land,  and  many  of  those  from  Virginia,  were  compelled 
to  pass  through  the  Federal  pickets  in  order  to  join  his 
command.  Yet  great  care  had  to  be  exercised  in  the 
selection  of  his  men,  and  not  every  applicant  was 
received.  If  an  unworthy  soldier  procured  admission, 
so  soon  as  the  mistake  was  discovered  he  was  sent 
under  guard  as  a  conscript  to  the  regular  service. 

Mosby  reserved  the  right  to  select  all  of  his  officers, 
who  were  invariably  chosen  from  those  who  had 
already  demonstrated  their  fitness  for  this  particular 
service.  It  has  been  said  of  a  great  military  hero  that 
the  surest  proof  of  his  genius  was  his  skill  in  finding 
out  genius  in  others,  and  his  promptness  in  calling  it 
into  action.  Mosby,  in  his  limited  sphere,  displayed 
a  similar  talent,  and  to  this  faculty,  almost  as  much 
as  any  one  thing,  may  be  attributed  his  success 
with  his  enlarged  command.  When  a  sufficient  num 
ber  of  men  had  enlisted  to  form  a  new  company,  he 
would  have  them  drawn  up  in  line  and  his  adjutant 
would  read  to  them  the  names  of  those  selected  for 
officers,  with  the  announcement  that  all  who  were  not 
in  favor  of  their  election  could  step  out  of  the  ranks 
and  go  to  the  regular  service.  Of  course  no  one  ever 
left.  In  order  to  comply  with  the  law,  the  form  of  an 
election  was  then  gone  through  with,  and  their  com 
mander's  choice  ratified.  In  no  other  body  of  troops 
were  all  the  officers  thus  unanimously  electedo 


MOSBY'S   "PARTIZAN   RANGERS"  105 

Mosby's  command,  as  finally  organized,  consisted  of 
eight  companies  of  cavalry  and  one  of  mounted  artil 
lery,  officered  by  a  colonel,  a  lieutenant-colonel,  and  a 
major,  with  the  usual  complement  of  company  officers. 
But  the  entire  force  was  seldom  combined.  Instead  of 
this,  they  would  be  divided  into  two  or  more  detach 
ments  operating  in  different  places.  So  it  was  not  at  all 
unusual  for  an  attack  to  be  made  the  same  night  upon 
Sheridan's  line  of  transportation  in  the  valley,  upon 
the  pickets  guarding  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad, 
upon  the  outposts  in  Fairfax  County,  and  upon  the 
rear  of  the  army  manoeuvering  against  Lee.  This 
explains — what  at  the  time  seemed  to  many  of  the 
readers  of  the  Northern  newspapers  a  mystery — how 
Mosby's  men  could  be  in  so  many  different  places  at 
the  same  time.  The  safety  and  success  of  the  Rangers 
were  enhanced  by  these  subdivisions,  the  Federals 
having  become  so  alert  as  to  make  it  extremely  diffi 
cult  for  a  large  command  either  to  evade  their  pickets 
or  manceuver  within  their  lines.  From  fifty  to  one 
hundred  men  were  all  that  were  usually  marched 
together,  and  many  of  their  most  brilliant  successes 
were  achieved  with  even  a  smaller  force.  Mosby  had 
only  twenty  men  with  him  when  he  captured  Brig 
adier-General  Edwin  H.  Stoughton.  With  these  he 
penetrated  the  heart  of  the  Federal  camp,  and  carried 
off  its  commander.  General  Stoughton  was  in  charge 
of  an  army  of  cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery,  with 
headquarters  at  Fairfax  Court-house.  One  dark  night 
in  March,  1863,  Mosby,  with  this  small  detachment, 
evaded  the  Federal  pickets,  passed  through  the  sleep 
ing  army,  and  with  their  camp-fires  gleaming  all 


106       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES   IN   THE  CIVIL  WAB 

around  him,  and  their  sentinels  on  duty,  aroused  their 
general  from  his  slumbers,  and  took  him  captive  with 
thirty-seven  of  his  comrades. 

But  the  novelty  of  Mosby's  mode  of  warfare  con 
sisted  chiefly  in  the  manner  of  subsisting,  quartering, 
and  protecting  his  men.  The  upper  portion  of  Lou- 
doun  and  Fauquier  counties,  embracing  a  circuit  of 
about  thirty  miles  in  diameter,  was  then  known  as 
"Mosby's  Confederacy."  By  a  glance  at  the  map  it 
will  be  observed  that  it  bordered  upon  the  Blue 
Eidge  Mountains  on  the  west,  and  the  Bull  Eun  Moun 
tains  on  the  east.  The  valley  between  is  one  of  the 
richest,  most  beautiful,  and  highly  cultivated  in  the 
State  of  Virginia.  It  was  thickly  inhabited  with  old 
Virginia  families,  who  were  loyal  arid  true  to  the 
Southern  cause.  These  people  received  Mosby's  men 
into  their  houses  as  their  guests,  and  neither  danger 
nor  want  could  tempt  their  betrayal.  Eobin  Hood's 
band  sought  safety  in  the  solitudes  of  Sherwood 
Forest,  Marion's  men  secreted  themselves  "in  the 
pleasant  wilds  of  Snow's  Island"  and  other  South 
Carolina  swamps,  but  the  Partizan  Eangers  of  Vir 
ginia  protected  themselves  by  dispersing  in  an  open 
country  among  a  sympathizing  people.  They  never 
established  a  camp ;  to  have  done  so  would  have 
invited  capture.  Each  soldier  had  his  boarding-house, 
where  he  lived  when  off  duty,  as  a  member  of  the 
family.  From  these  they  would  come,  singly  or  in 
groups,  bringing  their  rations  with  them  to  some 
designated  rendezvous,  march  rapidly  to  arid  from  the 
point  of  attack,  send  their  prisoners  under  guard  to 
the  nearest  Confederate  post,  divide  the  spoil,  and  dis- 


MOSBY'S    "PABTIZAN   RANGERS"  107 

perse.  If  they  were  pursued  by  an  overwhelming 
force,  as  was  frequently  the  case,  the  evening  found 
them  scattered  to  the  four  winds,  where  each  man, 
mounted  upon  his  own  fleet  steed,  could  protect  him 
self  from  capture.  If  the  Federals  attempted  to  follow 
the  chase  in  small  parties,  the  Eangers,  from  behind 
every  hill  and  grove,  would  concentrate  and  dash  upon 
them.  If  they  marched  in  solid  column,  the  Eangers 
would  hang  upon  their  flanks,  firing  upon  them  from 
behind  trees,  fences,  and  hilltops.  In  this -way,  General 
Julius  Stahel,  who  had  invaded  Mosby's  Confederacy 
with  two  brigades  of  cavalry  and  four  pieces  of  artil 
lery  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  utterly  demolishing  the 
Eangers,  was  so  annoyed  that  he  retired,  thoroughly 
disgusted  with  an  enemy  "  who  only  fought  when 
they  got  their  foe  at  a  disadvantage." 

As  there  were  no  civil  officers  commissioned  by 
either  party  in  all  that  section  of  Virginia,  the  people 
naturally  turned  to  Mosby  as  their  only  representative 
of  law  and  order.  It  was  not  unusual  for  them  to  sub 
mit  their  property  controversies  to  him  for  decision. 
In  this  way  he  acquired  a  civil  jurisdiction  in  connec 
tion  with  his  military  dictatorship.  Being  a  lawyer  by 
profession,  educated  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  his 
civil  administration  became  as  remarkable  for  its  pru 
dence  and  justice  as  his  military  leadership  was  for 
magnanimity  and  dash.  I  heard  an  old  citizen  remark, 
"For  two  years  Mosby  was  our  ruler,  and  the  country 
never  was  better  governed."  He  protected  the  people 
from  stragglers  and  deserters,  who  pillaged  friend  and 
foe  alike.  Every  captured  horse-thief  was  promptly 
executed.  He  required  his  own  men  to  treat  the  citi- 


108        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

zens  with  fairness  and  courtesy,  and  any  violation  of 
this  rule  was  punished  by  sending  the  offender  to  the 
regular  service.  Its  observance  was  more  easily  en 
forced  than  would  appear  possible  at  first  glance.  The 
men  were  scarcely  ever  off  duty,  except  for  neces 
sary  rest.  The  officers  were  then  distributed  among 
them,  and  by  their  example  and  authority  controlled, 
when  necessary,  the  deportment  of  their  men.  The 
citizens  with  whom  they  lived  also  exercised  a  healthy 
influence  over  them.  These  relations  engendered  many 
attachments  that  ran  like  golden  threads  through  the 
soldier's  life  and  outlived  the  rough  usages  of  war. 

It  thus  became  no  easy  matter  to  drive  the  Eangers 
from  a  territory  so  dear  to  them,  and  in  which  they 
were  befriended  by  all.  On  two  occasions  the  entire 
Federal  army  operating  against  General  Lee  passed 
through  Mosby's  Confederacy,  and  yet  his  men  did  not 
abandon  it.  They  hid  themselves  in  the  mountains 
during  the  day,  and  descended  upon  the  enemy  at  night. 
They  thus  observed  every  movement  of  the  Federal 
army,  and  all  valuable  information  was  promptly  sent  to 
the  Confederate  general.  On  one  of  these  occasions, 
June  17,  1863,  Mosby  found  himself  at  ten  o'clock  at 
night  between  the  infantry  and  cavalry  commands 
of  General  Hooker's  army.  Observing  three  horses 
hitched  hear  a  house,  with  an  orderly  standing  by,  he 
left  his  command  with  the  prisoners  already  captured, 
and  taking  with  him  three  men,  rode  up  to  the  orderly 
and  was  informed  by  him  that  the  horses  belonged  to 
Major  William  E.  Sterling  and  another  officer.  In  a 
whisper  he  said  to  the  orderly: 

"  My  name  is  Mosby.    Keep  quiet ! " 


MOSBY'S    "PARTIZAN  RANGERS"  109 

The  man  understood  him  to  say  that  he  (the  orderly) 
was  "  Mosby,"  and  very  indignantly  replied : 

"  No,  sir,  I  am  as  good  a  Union  man  as  ever  walked 
the  earth." 

"  Those  are  just  the  sort  I  am  after,"  said  Mosby. 

Just  then  the  two  officers  emerged  from  the  house. 
As  they  approached,  one  of  the  Rangers  stretched  out 
his  hand  to  disarm  the  major.  Supposing  him  to 
be  an  acquaintance,  Major  Sterling  offered  his  hand 
in  return,  but  was  overwhelmed  with  surprise  when 
informed  that  he  was  a  prisoner.  Upon  examination 
he  was  found  to  be  the  bearer  of  important  despatches 
from  General  Hooker  to  his  chief  of  cavalry,  General 
Pleasonton.  These  despatches,  which  developed  the 
contemplated  movements  of  the  army  and  directed  the 
cooperation  of  the  cavalry,  were  placed  in  General 
Stuart's  hands  by  dawn  of  day.  On  this  and  many 
similar  occasions  information  furnished  by  the  Rangers 
proved  invaluable  to  the  Confederate  generals. 

But  furnishing  information  was  not  the  most  im 
portant  service  they  rendered.  It  has  been  fairly 
estimated  that  they  detained  on  guard  duty  thirty 
thousand  Federal  soldiers,  who  otherwise  might  have 
been  employed  at  the  front.  Even  then  the  Federal 
lines  of  transportation  were  constantly  being  attacked, 
with  more  or  less  success.  It  was  impossible  to  protect 
them  against  such  reckless  activity  as  the  Rangers  were 
constantly  displaying.  No  matter  how  vigilant  the 
Federals  were,  Mosby  was  sure  to  find  an  opportunity 
for  attacking.  Sometimes  his  success  would  lie  in  the 
very  boldness  of  the  attempt.  This  was  never  more 
strikingly  illustrated  than  in  one  of  his  attacks  upon 


110       ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

Sheridan's  line  of  transportation.  The  Federal  army 
which  had  driven  General  Early  up  the  valley  beyond 
Winchester  was  drawing  its  supplies  over  the  turnpike 
from  Harper's  Ferry.  Mosby,  taking  a  command  of 
five  companies  of  cavalry  and  two  mountain  how 
itzers, —  numbering  two  hundred  and  fifty  men, — 
passed  at  night  across  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  fording  the 
Shenandoah,  halted  a  few  miles  below  Berryville. 
Riding  out  to  the  turnpike,  he  discovered  in  his  imme 
diate  front  two  large  trains  parked  for  the  night  —  one 
going  toward  the  army  loaded,  the  other  returning 
empty.  He  determined  to  capture  the  former,  com 
posed  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  wagons.  At  daybreak 
it  commenced  to  move,  guarded  by  a  brigade  of  in 
fantry  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry.  The  train 
and  its  guard  were  soon  strung  along  the  turnpike. 
The  cavalry  rode  on  the  flank  near  the  center,  a 
company  of  infantry  marched  in  front  of  each  tenth 
wagon,  and  the  remaining  force  was  distributed  be 
tween  the  rear-  and  advance-guards.  It  was  a  bright 
summer  morning,  and  just  as  the  sun  was  rising  the 
Rangers  marched  across  the  open  fields  and  halted 
about  four  hundred  yards  from  the  road,  and  within 
full  view  of  the  moving  train.  Observing  the  Fed 
eral  cavalry  dismounted  across  the  road  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  to  his  left,  Mosby  sent  two  companies  of  his 
cavalry  and  one  howitzer,  with  orders  to  take  a  position 
immediately  opposite  them  and  there  await  the  sig 
nal  of  attack,  which  was  to  be  three  shots  fired  from 
the  howitzer  left  behind.  This  detachment  did  not 
halt  until  it  was  within  seventy-five  yards  of  the 
moving  train.  Of  course  the  Federals  observed  all 


MOSBY'S    "PARTIZAN  RANGERS"  1J I 

these  manoeuvers,  but  were  misled  by  their  very  bold 
ness;  they  never  imagined  but  what  this  new  force 
was  a  part  of  their  own  army.  So  when  the  first  shot, 
which  fell  short,  was  fired  from  the  howitzer,  several  of 
their  officers  rode  to  the  eminence  not  more  than  thirty 
steps  in  front  of  the  detached  Confederate  squadron, 
and  lifting  their  glasses  to  their  eyes,  prepared  to  wit 
ness  what  they  supposed  to  be  artillery  practice.  Just 
then  the  second  shell  from  the  howitzer  burst  in  the 
midst  of  their  cavalry,  who,  supposing  it  had  been  fired 
in  that  direction  through  mistake,  hastily  prepared  to 
move  beyond  range.  Immediately  the  rebel  yell  was 
raised,  and  the  squadron  dashed  at  the  Federals, 
scattering  them  in  every  direction,  and  capturing  the 
officers  with  their  glasses  still  in  their  hands.  Turning 
abruptly  to  the  left,  the  Rangers  charged  along  the 
road,  riding  over  company  after  company  of  infantry 
until  checked  by  a  volley  from  the  advance-guard.  At 
the  same  time  another  squadron  had  struck  the  turn 
pike  immediately  in  front  of  their  first  position,  and 
turning  to  the  right,  had  ridden  down  everything 
between  them  and  the  rear-guard.  Then,  with  one 
howitzer  playing  upon  the  advance-  and  the  other  upon 
the  rear-guard,  the  Rangers  rapidly  collected  their 
prisoners,  unhitched  the  teams,  and  burned  the  wagons. 
When  reinforcements  reached  the  Federals  they  de 
ployed  their  skirmishers  and  advanced  in  line  of  battle, 
only  to  see  the  Rangers  riding  over  the  hills  in  the  dis 
tance,  taking  with  them  three  hundred  prisoners,  seven 
hundred  mules  and  horses,  and  two  hundred  and  thirty 
beef-cattle.  But  the  rejoicing  of  the  Rangers  was 
almost  turned  into  chagrin  when  they  learned  from  the 


112        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 

Northern  papers  that  one  of  the  wagons  from  which 
they  had  taken  the  mules  was  loaded  with  an  iron  safe 
containing  one  million  dollars  to  pay  off  the  army. 
Upon  reading  it,  Mosby  dropped  the  paper  with  a  sigh, 
exclaiming,  "  There  's  a  cool  million  gone  after  it  was 
fairly  earned!  What  other  man  could  sustain  such 
losses  with  so  little  embarrassment?" 

But  this  failure  of  the  Eangers  to  secure  their 
"earnings"  did  not  always  attend  them.  Shortly  after 
that  they  collected  a  sufficient  amount  of  "dues"  to 
enable  them  to  determine  upon  greenbacks  as  the 
future  currency  of  their  Confederacy.  It  happened 
in  this  wise.  Taking  with  him  seventy-five  men, 
Mosby  crossed,  at  an  early  hour  of  the  night,  in  rear 
of  Sheridan's  army,  and  struck  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  Railroad  above  Harper's  Ferry,  near  Duffield 
Station.  Here  they  prized  up  one  side  of  the  track 
to  a  height  of  four  feet,  placing  a  secure  foundation 
under  it.  Soon  the  night  express  came  rushing  along. 
The  engine  upset,  and  the  train  came  to  a  stand 
without  serious  injury  to  the  passengers.  Immediately 
the  cars  were  boarded,  and  every  one  in  Federal 
uniform  captured.  Among  the  prisoners  were  two 
paymasters,  Majors  Moore  and  Ruggles,  who  had  in 
a  satchel  and  tin  box  $168,000,  in  greenbacks,  to  pay 
off  the  troops  stationed  along  the  road.  Securing 
this  rich  booty,  the  Rangers  burned  the  cars  and  re- 
passed  Sheridan's  pickets  before  the  day  had  dawned. 
The  money  was  divided  upon  reaching  their  Con 
federacy,  each  man  receiving  something  over  two 
thousand  dollars,  Mosby  taking  nothing. 

Only  the  men  who  participated  in  a  particular  raid 


MOSBY'S    "PAKTIZAN   KANGEES"  U3 

were  allowed  to  share  in  its  spoil.  The  officer  who 
commanded  the  expedition  always  controlled  the  dis 
tribution.  It  was  seldom  there  was  anything  to  divide 
except  horses  and  their  equipments.  Those  who  had 
distinguished  themselves  in  the  fight  were  allowed  the 
first  choice  as  a  reward  for  their  gallantry,  the  shares 
of  the  others  being  divided  by  lot.  This  system,  by 
rewarding  individual  merit,  encouraged  a  healthy  ri 
valry  among  the  men,  and  at  the  same  time  removed 
all  inducement  to  leave  the  fight  for  plunder.  Often 
when  a  charge  was  ordered,  a  genuine  horse-race  fol 
lowed,  the  swiftest  steeds  leading  the  way. 

In  this  manner  the  men  were  mounted  and  equipped 
without  expense  to  themselves  or  the  Confederate  Gov 
ernment.  On  the  contrary,  the  army  quartermaster 
kept  an  agent  in  Mosby's  Confederacy,  to  purchase 
from  the  Rangers  their  surplus  stock  and  arms. 
His  standing  price  for  a  horse  was  forty  dollars 
in  gold.  But  each  Eanger  retained  two  or  more  of 
the  best  for  his  own  use.  In  this  way  they  were 
always  splendidly  mounted.  I  once  heard  a  Federal 
officer  say  he  was  not  surprised  that  Mosby's  men 
rode  such  fine  horses,  as  they  had  both  armies  to  pick 
from.  The  cavalry  was  armed  with  pistols  alone, 
of  which  each  man  carried  at  least  two.  Their  supe 
riority  over  all  other  arms  for  this  branch  of  the  ser 
vice  was  frequently  demonstrated.  It  is  a  weapon 
that  can  be  used  with  one  hand,  leaving  the  other  to 
guide  the  horse.  Cavalry  is  never  really  efficient 
unless  trained  to  rush  into  close  contact  with  the 
enemy.  To  see  the  whites  of  their  eyes  is  not  suffi 
cient;  they  must  ride  over  the  foe.  In  the  rapid 


114       ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAE 

charge  the  carbine  is  not  only  useless,  but  a  positive 
incumbrance.  The  saber  is  comparatively  harmless; 
it  serves  to  frighten  the  timid,  but  rarely  ever  deals 
a  death-wound.  Let  two  men  encounter  each  other 
in  the  charge,  one  relying  upon  his  pistol,  the  other 
upon  his  saber,  and  the  former,  though  an  ordinary 
tnarksman,  will  almost  invariably  get  the  better  of 
his  antagonist.  The  Bangers  realized  their  advan 
tage  in  this  respect.  It  encouraged  them  to  rush  into 
close  quarters,  where  the  rapid  discharge  of  their 
pistols  soon  told  upon  the  enemy,  no  matter  how 
bravely  they  had  withstood  the  onset.  I  have  seen 
the  victory  decided  alone  by  the  superiority  of  the 
pistol  over  the  saber,  where  the  opposing  columns 
had  crossed  each  other  in  the  charge  and,  wheeling, 
had  mingled  in  the  fight. 

But  the  Rangers  were  compelled  to  discard  the  car 
bine  and  the  saber  for  other  reasons  than  their  in 
feriority  in  the  hand-to-hand  conflict.  It  was  always 
their  policy  to  take  the  enemy  by  surprise  if  possible. 
Their  favorite  plan  was  to  wind  their  way  through  the 
Federal  pickets  during  the  night,  and  make  the  attack 
at  break  of  day.  The  rattling  of  the  carbine  and  saber 
would  have  made  it  impossible  to  execute  these  move 
ments  with  the  silence  necessary  to  success.  To  the 
uninitiated  it  would  be  surprising  to  see  with  what 
noiseless  secrecy  these  manceuvers  could  be  accom 
plished.  Only  whispered  commands  were  necessary 
from  the  officers,  and  the  presence  of  danger  insured 
silence  in  the  ranks.  This  silence,  which  was  observed 
so  long  as  silence  was  proper,  served  to  make  the 
charge,  with  its  shout  and  its  cheer,  the  more  terrible 
to  the  foe. 


MOSBY'S    "PAKTIZAN  BANGEKS"  115 

But  it  must  not  be  imagined  the  Eangers  were 
always  successful.  They  were  themselves  sometimes 
surprised,  sometimes  repulsed.  Nothing  else  could 
be  expected  from  almost  daily  encounters  in  a  country 
abandoned  to  the  enemy.  There  were  occasions  when 
they  were  saved  from  total  ruin  only  by  their  know 
ledge  of  the  country  and  the  swiftness  of  their  steeds. 


A  ROMANCE  OF  MORGAN'S  ROUGH-RIDERS 

THE   BALD,  THE  CAPTURE,  AND   THE  ESCAPE 

I.    THE  RAID 

BY  BASIL    W.   DUKE 

IN  the  summer  of  1863,  when,  at  Tullahoma,  Ten 
nessee,  General  Bragg's  army  was  menaced  by 
superior  numbers  in  flank  and  rear,  he  determined  to 
send  a  body  of  cavalry  into  Kentucky,  which  should 
operate  upon  Rosecrans's  communications  between 
Nashville  and  Louisville,  break  the  railroads,  capture 
or  threaten  all  the  minor  depots  of  supplies,  intercept 
and  defeat  all  detachments  not  too  strong  to  be 
engaged,  and  keep  the  enemy  so  on  the  alert  in  his 
own  rear  that  he  would  lose  or  neglect  his  opportunity 
to  embarrass  or  endanger  the  march  of  the  army  when 
its  retrograde  movement  began.  He  even  hoped  that 
a  part  of  the  hostile  forces  before  him  might  be  thus 
detained  long  enough  to  prevent  their  participation  in 
the  battle  which  he  expected  to  fight  when  he  had 
crossed  the  Tennessee. 

The  officer  whom  he  selected  to  accomplish  this 
diversion  was  General  John  H.  Morgan,  whose  division 
of  mounted  riflemen  was  well  fitted  for  the  work  in 

116 


A  ROMANCE  OF  MORGAN'S  ROUGH-RIDERS  117 

hand.  Equal  in  courage,  dash,  and  discipline  to  the 
other  fine  cavalry  commands  which  General  Bragg 
had  at  his  disposal,  it  had  passed  a  longer  apprentice 
ship  in  expeditionary  service  than  had  any  other.  Its 
rank  and  file  was  of  that  mettle  which  finds  its  natural 
element  in  active  and  auda 
cious  enterprise,  and  was  yet 
thrilled  with  the  fire  of  youth ; 
for  there  were  few  men  in 
the  division  over  twenty-five 
years  of  age.  It  was  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  its  com 
mander,  and  confided  in  his 
skill  and  fortune;  no  endeavor 
was  deemed  impossible  or 
even  hazardous  when  he  led. 

GENERAL  JOHN  H.  MORGAN. 

It   was    inured    to    constant, 

almost  daily,  combat  with  the  enemy,  of  all  arms  and 
under  every  possible  contingency.  During  its  four 
years  of  service  the  2d  Kentucky  Cavalry,  of  which 
General  Morgan  was  the  first  colonel,  lost  sixty-three 
commissioned  officers  killed  and  wounded;  Company 
A  of  that  regiment,  of  which  Morgan  was  the  first 
captain,  losing  duriog  the  war  seventy-five  men  killed. 
It  had  on  its  muster-roll,  from  first  to  last,  nearly 
two  hundred  and  fifty  men.  The  history  of  this  com 
pany  and  regiment  was  scarcely  exceptional  in  the 
command. 

Morgan  was  beyond  all  men  adapted  to  independent 
command  of  this  nature.  His  energy  never  flagged, 
and  his  invention  was  always  equal  to  the  emergency. 
Boldness  and  caution  were  united  in  all  that  he  un- 


118       ADVENTUBES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAE 


dertook.  He  had  a  most  remarkable  aptitude  for 
promptly  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  any  country  in 
which  he  was  operating ;  and  as  he  kept  it,  so  to  speak, 
"  in  his  head,"  he  was  enabled  easily  to  extricate  him 
self  from  difficulties.  The  celerity  with  which  he 
marched,  the  promptness 
with  which  he  attacked  or 
eluded  a  foe,  intensified 
the  confidence  of  his  fol 
lowers,  and  kept  his  an 
tagonists  always  in  doubt 
and  apprehension. 

In  his  conference  with 
General  Bragg,  Morgan 
differed  with  his  chief  re 
garding  the  full  effect  of 
a  raid  that  should  not  be 
extended  beyond  the  Ohio. 
General  Bragg  desired  it 
to  be  confined  to  Ken 
tucky.  He  gave  Morgan 
carte  blanche  to  go  where  he 
pleased  in  that  State  and 
stay  as  long  as  he  pleased ; 
suggesting,  among  other 
things,  that  he  capture 
Louisville.  Morgan  urged 
that  while  by  such  a  raid  he  might  so  divert  to  him 
self  the  attention  of  General  Henry  M.  Judah  and 
the  cavalry  of  Rosecrans  that  they  would  not  molest 
General  Bragg's  retreat,  he  could  do  nothing,  in  this 
way,  in  behalf  of  the  other  equally  important  feature 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS 


110 


of  the  plan  —  the  deten 
tion  of  troops  that  would 
otherwise  strengthen  Rose- 
crans  in  the  decisive  bat 
tle  to  be  fought  south  of 


flA  **      ^     " 

^>  •*  -  J_ 

THE 
MORGAN  RAID. 

t/ULY,  1863. 


SCALE    OP  M  I  LETS 
10      20      30      40      5O 


the  Tennessee.  He  contended,  moreover,  that  a  raid 
into  Indiana  and  Ohio,  the  more  especially  as  im 
portant  political  elections  were  pending  there,  would 
cause  troops  to  be  withdrawn  from  Eosecrans  and 
Burnside  for  the  protection  of  those  States.  But 
General  Bragg  refused  permission  to  cross  the  Ohio, 
and  instructed  Morgan  to  make  the  raid  as  originally 
designed. 

Some  weeks  previous  to  this  conference,  by  Morgan's 
direction  I  had  sent  competent  men  to  examine  the 
fords  of  the  upper  Ohio.  He  had  even  then  contem 
plated  such  an  expedition.  It  had  long  been  his 
conviction  that  the  Confederacy  could  maintain  the 
struggle  only  by  transferring  hostilities  and  waging 


120       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  \VAll 

war,  whenever  opportunity  offered,  on  Northern  soil, 
Upon  his  return  from  this  interview  he  told  me  what 
had  been  discussed,  and  what  were  General  Bragg's 
instructions.  He  said  that  he  meant  to  disobey  them ; 
that  the  emergency,  he  believed,  justified  disobedience. 
He  was  resolved  to  cross  the  Ohio  River  and  invade 
Indiana  and  Ohio.  His  command  would  probably  be 
captured,  he  said;  but  in  no  other  way  could  he  give  sub 
stantial  aid  to  the  army.  General  Bragg  had  directed 
Morgan  to  detail  two  thousand  men  for  the  expedition. 
From  the  two  brigades  commanded  respectively  by 
myself  and  Colonel  Adam  B.  Johnson,  Morgan  selected 
twenty-four  hundred  and  sixty  of  the  best-mounted 
and  most  effective.  He  took  with  him  four  pieces  of 
artillery — two  3-inch  Parrotts,  attached  to  the  First 
Brigade,  and  two  12-pounder  howitzers,  attached  to 
the  Second. 

I  should  state  that  Morgan  had  thoroughly  planned 
the  raid  before  he  marched  from  Tennessee.  He  meant 
to  cross  the  Cumberland  in  the  vicinity  of  Burkesville, 
and  to  march  directly  across  Kentucky  to  the  nearest 
point  at  which  he  could  reach  the  Ohio  west  of  Louis 
ville,  so  closely  approaching  Louisville  as  to  compel 
belief  that  he  meant  to  attempt  its  capture.  Turning 
to  the  right  after  entering  Indiana,  and  marching  as 
nearly  due  east  as  possible,  he  would  reduce  to  a  mini 
mum  the  distance  necessary  to  be  covered,  and  yet 
threaten  and  alarm  the  population  of  the  two  States  as 
completely  as  by  penetrating  deeply  into  them;  more 
so,  indeed,  for  pursuing  this  line  he  would  reach  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Cincinnati  and  excite  fears  for 
the  safety  of  that  city.  While  he  intended  to  prolong 


A  KOMANCE   OF  MOEGAN'S  ROUGH-RIDERS  121 

the  raid  to  the  uttermost,  he  proposed  to  be  at  no  time 
far  from  the  Ohio,  so  that  he  might  avail  himself  of 
an  opportunity  to  recross.  On  reaching  the  borders  of 
Pennsylvania,  he  intended,  if  General  Lee  should  be  in 
that  State,  to  make  every  effort  to  join  him;  failing  in 
that,  to  make  his  escape  through  West  Virginia.  In 
formation  he  had  gotten  about  the  fords  of  the  upper 
Ohio  had  induced  him  to  indicate  Buffington's  Island 
as  the  point  where  he  would  attempt  to  recross  that 
stream.  Ha  deemed  the  passage  of  the  Cumberland 
one  of  the  four  chief  difficulties  of  the  expedition  that 
might  prove  really  dangerous  and  insuperable ;  the 
other  three  were  the  passage  of  the  Ohio,  the  circuit 
around  Cincinnati,  and  the  recrossing  of  the  Ohio. 

Before  noon  on  the  2d  of  July  my  brigade  began  to 
cross  the  Cumberland  at  Burke sville  and  at  Scott's 
Ferry,  two  miles  higher  up  the  stream.  The  river, 
swollen  by  heavy  and  long-continued  rains,  was  pour 
ing  down  a  volume  of  water  which  overspread  its 
banks  and  rushed  with  a  velocity  that  seemed  to  defy 
any  attempt  to  stem  it.  Two  or  three  canoes  lashed 
together  and  two  small  flats  served  to  transport  the 
men  and  the  field-pieces,  while  the  horses  were  made 
to  swim.  Many  of  them  were  swept  far  down  by  the 
boiling  flood.  .This  process  was  necessarily  slow,  as 
well  as  precarious.  Colonel  Johnson,  whose  brigade 
was  crossing  at  Turkey  Neck  Bend,  several  miles  below 
Burkes ville,  was  scarcely  so  well  provided  with  the 
means  of  ferriage  as  myself.  About  3  p.  M.  the  enemy 
began  to  threaten  both  brigades.  Had  these  demon 
strations  been  made  earlier,  and  vigorously,  we  could 
not  have  gotten  over  the  river.  Fortunately  by  this 


122        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

time  we  had  taken  over  the  6th  Kentucky  and  9th 
Tennessee  of  rny  brigade — aggregating  nearly  six  hun 
dred  men  —  and  also  the  two  pieces  of  artillery.  These 
regiments  were  moved  beyond  Burkesville  and  placed 
in  a  position  which  served  all  the  purposes  of  an  am 
buscade.  When  the  enemy  approached,  one  or  two 
volleys  caused  his  column  to  recoil  in  confusion.  Gen 
eral  Morgan  instantly  charged  it  with  Quirk's  scouts 
and  some  companies  of  the  9th  Tennessee,  and  not 
only  prevented  it  from  rallying,  but  drove  it  all  the 
way  back  to  Marrowbone,  entering  the  encampment 
there  with  the  troops  he  was  pursuing  in  a  pell-mell 
dash.  He  was  soon  driven  back,  however,  by  the 
enemy's  infantry  and  artillery. 

The  effect  of  this  blow  was  to  keep  the  enemy  quiet 
for  the  rest  of  the  day  and  night.  The  forces  threaten 
ing  Colonel  Johnson  were  also  withdrawn,  and  we  both 
accomplished  the  passage  of  the  river  without  further 
molestation.  That  night  the  division  marched  out  on 
the  Columbia  road  and  encamped  about  two  miles 
from  Burkesville.  On  the  next  day  Judah  concentrated 
the  three  brigades  of  his  cavalry  command  in  that 
region,  while  orders  were  sent  to  all  the  other  Federal 
detachments  in  Kentucky  to  close  in  upon  our  line 
of  march. 

General  Bragg  had  sent  with  the  expedition  a  large 
party  of  commissaries  of  subsistence,  who  were  directed 
to  collect  cattle  north  of  the  Cumberland  and  drive 
them,  guarded  by  one  of  our  regiments,  to  Tullahoma. 
I  have  never  understood  how  he  expected  us  to  be  able, 
under  the  circumstances,  to  collect  the  cattle,  or  the 
foragers  to  drive  them  out.  The  commissaries  did  not 


A   ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS 


123 


attempt  to  carry  out  their  instructions,  but  followed 
us  the  entire  distance  and  pulled  up  in  prison.  They 
were  gallant  fellows  and  made  no  complaint  of  danger 
or  hardship,  seeming  rather  to  enjoy  it. 


THE    FARMER    FROM    CALFKILLER    CREEK. 

There  was  one  case,  however,  which  excited  uni 
versal  pity.  An  old  farmer  and  excellent  man,  who 
lived  near  Sparta,  had  accompanied  us  to  Burkesville ; 
that  is,  he  meant  to  go  no  farther,  and  thought  we 


124       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

would  not.  He  wished  to  procure  a  barrel  of  salt,  as 
the  supply  of  that  commodity  was  exhausted  in  his 
part  of  the  country.  He  readily  purchased  the  salt, 
but  learned,  to  his  consternation,  that  the  march  to 
Burkesville  was  a  mere  preliminary  canter.  He  was 
confronted  with  the  alternative  of  going  on  a  dan 
gerous  raid  or  of  returning  alone  through  a  region 
swarming  with  the  fierce  bushwhackers  of  "  Tinker 
Dave"  Beattie,  who  never  gave  quarter  to  Confederate 
soldier  or  Southern  sympathizer.  He  knew  that  if 
he  fell  into  their  hands  they  would  pickle  him  with 
his  own  salt.  So  this  old  man  sadly  yet  wisely  re 
solved  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  Morgan.  He  made 
the  grand  tour,  was  hurried  along  day  after  day 
through  battle  and  ambush,  dragged  night  after  night 
on  the  remorseless  march,  ferried  over  the  broad  Ohio 
under  fire  of  the  militia  and  gunboats,  and  lodged 
at  last  in  a  "loathsome  dungeon."  On  one  occasion, 
in  Ohio,  when  the  home  guards  were  peppering  us  in 
rather  livelier  fashion  than  usual,  he  said  to  Captain 
C.  H.  Morgan,  with  tears  in  his  voice:  "I  sw'ar  if  I 
would  n't  give  all  the  salt  in  Kaintucky  to  stand  once 
more  safe  and  sound  on  the  banks  of  Calfkiller  Creek." 
Pushing  on  before  dawn  of  the  3d,  we  reached  Co 
lumbia  in  the  afternoon.  The  place  was  occupied  by 
a  detachment  of  Colonel  Frank  Wolford's  brigade, 
which  was  quickly  driven  out.  Encamping  that 
evening  some  eight  miles  from  Columbia,  we  could 
hear  all  night  the  ringing  of  the  axes  near  Green 
River  bridge,  on  the  road  from  Columbia  to  Campbells- 
ville.  Three  or  four  hundred  of  the  25th  Michigan 
Infantry  were  stationed  at  the  bridge  to  protect  it; 


A  ROMANCE   OF  MORGAN'S  BOUGH-EIDERS  125 


126       ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

but  the  commander,  Colonel  Orlando  H.  Moore,  de 
liberately  quitting  the  elaborate  stockade  erected  near 
the  bridge, — in  which  nine  officers  out  of  ten  would 
have  remained,  but  where  we  could  have  shelled  him 
into  surrender  without  losing  a  man  ourselves, — se 
lected  one  of  the  strongest  natural  positions  I  ever  saw, 
and  fortified  it  skilfully  although  simply.  The  Green 
River  makes  here  an  immense  horseshoe  sweep,  with 
the  bridge  at  the  toe  of  the  horseshoe ;  and  more  than 
a  mile  south  of  it  was  the  point  where  Colonel  Moore 
elected  to  make  his  fight.  The  river  there  wound  back 
so  nearly  upon  its  previous  course  that  the  peninsula, 
or  "neck,"  was  scarcely  a  hundred  yards  wide.  This 
narrow  neck  was  also  very  short,  the  river  bending 
almost  immediately  to  the  west  again.  At  that  time 
it  was  thickly  covered  with  trees  and  undergrowth,  and 
Colonel  Moore,  felling  the  heaviest  timber,  had  con 
structed  a  formidable  abatis  across  the  narrowest  part 
of  it.  Just  in  front  of  the  abatis  there  was  open 
ground  for  perhaps  two  hundred  yards.  South  of  the 
open  was  a  deep  ravine.  The  road  ran  on  the  east  side 
of  the  cleared  place,  and  the  banks  of  the  river  were 
high  and  precipitous.  The  center  of  the  open  space 
rose  into  a  swell,  sloping  gently  away  both  to  the 
north  and  south.  On  the  crest  of  the  swell  Moore  had 
thrown  up  a  slight  earthwork,  which  was  manned 
when  we  approached.  An  officer  was  promptly  de 
spatched  with  a  flag  to  demand  his  surrender.  Colonel 
Moore  responded  that  an  officer  of  the  United  States 
ought  not  to  surrender  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  and 
he  must  therefore  decline.  Captain  "Ed"  Byrne  had 
planted  one  of  the  Parrott  guns  about  six  hundred 


A  KOMANCE  OF  MORGAN'S  BOUGH-RIDERS  127 

yards  from  the  earthwork,  and  on  the  return  of  the 
bearer  of  the  flag  opened  fire,  probing  the  work  with 
a  round  shot.  One  man  in  the  trench  was  killed  by 
this  shot,  and  the  others  ran  back  to  the  abatis. 

Colonel  Johnson,  whose  brigade  was  in  advance, 
immediately  dashed  forward  with  the  3d  and  llth 
Kentucky  to  attack  the  main  position.  Artillery  could 
not  be  used,  for  the  guns  could  bear  upon  the  abatis 
only  from  the  crest  of  which  I  have  spoken,  and  if 
posted  there  the  cannoneers,  at  the  very  short  range, 
would  not  have  been  able  to  serve  their  pieces.  The 
position  could  be  won  only  by  direct  assault.  The 
men  rushed  up  to  the  fallen  timber,  but  became  en 
tangled  in  the  network  of  trunks  and  branches,  and 
were  shot  down  while  trying  to  climb  over  or  push 
through  them.  I  reinforced  Johnson  with  a  part  of 
Smith's  regiment,  the  5th  Kentucky,  but  the  jam  and 
confusion  incident  to  moving  in  so  circumscribed  an 
area  and  through  the  dense  undergrowth  broke  the 
force  of  the  charge.  The  enemy  was  quite  numerous 
enough  to  defend  a  line  so  short  and  strong  and 
perfectly  protected  on  both  flanks.  We  had  not  more 
than  six  hundred  men  actually  engaged,  and  the 
fighting  lasted  not  longer  than  fifteen  or  twenty  min 
utes.  Our  loss  was  about  ninety,  nearly  as  many 
killed  as  wounded.  Afterward  we  learned  that  Colonel 
Moore's  loss  was  six  killed  and  twenty-three  wounded. 
When  General  Morgan  ordered  the  attack  he  was  not 
aware  of  the  strength  of  the  position;  nor  had  he 
anticipated  a  resistance  so  spirited  and  so  skilfully 
planned.  He  reluctantly  drew  off  without  another 
assault,  convinced  that  to  capture  the  abatis  and  its 


128       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

defenders  would  cost  him  half  his  command.  Among 
the  killed  were  Colonel  D.  W.  Chenault  and  Captain 
Alexander  Treble  of  the  llth  Kentucky,  Lieutenant 
Robert  Cowan  of  the  3d,  and  Major  Thomas  Y.  Brent, 
Jr.,  and  Lieutenants  Holloway  and  Ferguson  of  the 
5th.  These  officers  were  all  killed  literally  at  the 
muzzles  of  the  rifles. 

Colonel  Moore's  position  might  easily  have  been 
avoided;  indeed,  we  passed  around  it  immediately 
afterward,  crossing  the  river  at  a  ford  about  two  miles 
below  the  bridge.  Morgan  assailed  it  merely  in  accor- 
dance  with  his  habitual  policy  when  advancing  of  at 
tacking  all  in  his  path  except  very  superior  forces.  __ 

On  the  same  afternoon  Captain  William  M.  Magenis, 
assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  division,  a  valuable 
officer,  was  murdered  by  a  Captain  Murphy,  whom  he 
had  placed  under  arrest  for  robbing  a  citizen.  Murphy 
made  his  escape  from  the  guard  two  or  three  days  sub 
sequently,  just  as  the  court-martial  which  was  to  have 
tried  him  was  convening. 

On  the  morning  of  July  5th  the  column  reached  Leb 
anon,  which  was  garrisoned  by  the  20th  Kentucky  In 
fantry,  commanded  by  Colonel  Charles  S.  Hanson. 
The  8th  and  9th  Michigan  Cavalry  and  the  llth  Michi 
gan  Battery,  under  command  of  Colonel  James  I. 
David,  were  approaching  by  the  Danville  road  to  rein 
force  the  garrison,  necessitating  a  large  detachment  to 
observe  them.  Morgan's  demand  for  surrender  having 
been  refused,  artillery  fire  was  directed  upon  the  rail 
road  depot  and  other  buildings  in  which  the  enemy 
had  established  himself;  but,  as  the  Federals  endured 
it  with  great  firmness,  it  became  necessary  to  carry  the 


A  BOMANCE   OF   MOEGAN'S   ROUGH-EIDEKS  129 

town  by  assault.  Our  loss  was  some  forty  in  killed 
and  wounded,  including  several  excellent  officers.  One 
death  universally  deplored  was  that  of  the  General's 
brother,  Lieutenant  Thomas  H.  Morgan.  He  was  a 
bright,  handsome,  and  very  gallant  lad  of  nineteen, 
the  favorite  of  the  division.  He  was  killed  in  front  of 
the  2d  Kentucky  in  the  charge  upon  the  depot.  The 
Federal  loss  was  three  killed  and  sixteen  wounded,  and 
three  hundred  and  eighty  were  prisoners. 

Without  delay  we  passed  through  Springfield  and 
Bardstown,  crossing  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  Eail- 
road  at  Lebanon  Junction,  thirty  miles  from  Louisville, 
on  the  evening  of  the  6th.  At  Springfield  two  com 
panies  of  about  ninety  men  were  sent  toward  Har- 
rodsburg  and  Danville  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the 
Federal  cavalry  in  that  quarter.  From  Bardstown,  Cap 
tain  W.  C.  Davis,  acting  assistant  adjutant-general  of 
the  First  Brigade,  was  sent  with  a  detachment  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  men  to  scout  in  the  vicinity  of 
Louisville,  to  produce  the  impression  that  the  city  was 
about  to  be  attacked,  and  to  divert  attention  from  the 
passage  of  the  Ohio  by  the  main  body  at  Brandenburg. 
He  was  instructed  to  cross  the  river  somewhere  east 
of  Louisville  and  to  rejoin  the  column  on  its  line  of 
march  through  Indiana.  He  executed  the  first  part 
of  the  program  perfectly,  but  was  unable  to  get  across 
the  river.  Tapping  the  wires  at  Lebanon  Junction, 
we  learned  from  intercepted  despatches  that  the  garri 
son  at  Louisville  was  much  alarmed,  and  in  expecta 
tion  of  an  immediate  attack. 

The  detachments  I  have  just  mentioned,  with  some 
smaller  ones  previously  sent  off  on  similar  service, 


130       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAIt 

aggregated  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  sixty  men 
permanently  separated  from  the  division ;  which,  with  a 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  in  Kentucky,  of  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty,  had  reduced  our  effective  strength, 
at  the  Ohio,  by  more  than  four  hundred. 

The  rapid  and  constant  marching  already  began  to 
tell  upon  both  horses  and  men,  but  we  reached  the 
Ohio  at  Brandenburg  at  9  A.  M.  on  the  8th.  Captains 
Samuel  Taylor  and  H.  C.  Meriwether  of  the  10th  Ken 
tucky  had  been  sent  forward  the  day  before,  with 
their  companies,  to  capture  steamboats.  "We  found 
them  in  possession  of  two  large  craft.  One  had  been 
surprised  at  the  wharf,  and  steaming  out  on  her,  they 
had  captured  the  other.  Preparations  for  crossing 
were  begun;  but,  just  as  the  first  boat  was  about  to 
push  off,  an  unexpected  musketry  fire  was  opened 
from  the  Indiana  side  by  a  party  of  home-guards  col 
lected  behind  some  houses  and  haystacks.  They  were 
in  pursuit  of  Captain  Thomas  H.  Hines,  who  had  that 
morning  returned  from  Indiana  to  Kentucky,  after 
having  undertaken  a  brief  expedition  of  his  own. 
This  fire  did  no  harm,  the  river  here  being  eight  hun 
dred  or  a  thousand  yards  wide.  But  in  a  few  minutes 
the  bright  gleam  of  a  field-piece  spouted  through  the 
low-hanging  mist  on  the  farther  bank.  Its  shell 
pitched  into  a  group  near  the  wharf,  severely  wound 
ing  Captain  W.  H.  Wilson,  acting  quartermaster  of 
the  First  Brigade.  Several  shots  from  this  piece  fol 
lowed  in  quick  succession,  but  it  was  silenced  by 
Lieutenant  Lawrence  with  his  Parrotts.  The  2d  Ken 
tucky  and  9th  Tennessee  were  speedily  ferried  over 
without  their  horses,  and  forming  under  the  bluff 


A  ROMANCE   OF  MORGAN'S   KOUGH-BIDEBS  131 


132       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

they  advanced  upon  the  militia,  which  had  retired 
to  a  wooded  ridge  some  six  hundred  yards  from  the 
river-bank,  abandoning  the  gun.  The  two  regiments 
were  moving  across  some  open  ground,  toward  the 
ridge,  sustaining  no  loss  from  the  volleys  fired  at 
them,  and  the  boats  had  scarcely  returned  for  further 
service  when  a  more  formidable  enemy  appeared.  A 
gunboat,  the  Elk,  steamed  rapidly  round  the  bend,  and 
began  firing  alternately  upon  the  troops  in  the  town 
and  those  already  across.  The  situation  was  now  ex 
tremely  critical.  We  could  not  continue  the  ferriage 
while  this  little  vixen  remained,  for  one  well-directed 
shot  would  have  sent  either  of  the  boats  to  the  bottom. 
Delay  was  exceedingly  hazardous,  affording  the  enemy 
opportunity  to  cut  off  the  regiments  we  had  already 
sent  over,  and  giving  the  cavalry  in  pursuit  of  us  time 
to  come  up.  If  forced  to  give  up  the  attempt  to  cross 
the  river,  we  must  also  abandon  our  comrades  on  the 
other  side.  So  every  piece  of  artillery  was  planted 
and  opened  on  the  gunboat,  and  after  an  hour  or  two 
of  vigorous  cannonading  she  was  driven  off.  By  mid 
night  all  our  troops  were  over. 

About  noon  of  the  9th  the  column  reached  the  little 
town  of  Corydon,  Indiana,  which  proved  not  nearly  so 
gentle  as  its  name.  Our  advance-guard,  commanded 
by  Colonel  R-.  C.  Morgan,  found  a  body  of  militia  there, 
ensconced  behind  stout  barricades  of  fence  rails, 
stretching  for  some  distance  on  each  side  of  the  road. 
Colonel  Morgan  charged  the  barricade,  his  horses  could 
not  leap  it,  the  militia  stood  resolutely,  and  he  lost  six 
teen  men.  A  few  dismounted  skirmishers  thrown 
upon  the  flanks,  and  a  shot  or  two  from  one  of  the 


A  KOMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   BOUGH-RIDERS  133 

pieces  which  accompanied  the  advance-guard,  quickly 
dispersed  them,  however,  and  we  entered  the  town 
without  further  resistance. 

Our  progress,  quite  rapid  in  Kentucky,  was  now 
accelerated,  and  we  were  habitually  twenty-one  hours 
out  of  the  twenty-four  in  the  saddle,  very  frequently 
not  halting  at  night  or  going  into  camp  at  all.  For 
the  first  three  or  four  days  we  saw  nothing  of  the 
inhabitants  save  in  their  character  as  militia,  when 
they  forced  themselves  on  our  attention  much  more 
frequently  than  we  desired.  The  houses  were  entirely 
deserted.  Often  wre  found  the  kitchen  fire  blazing,  the 
keys  hanging  in  the  cupboard  lock,  and  the  chickens 
sauntering  about  the  yard  with  a  confidence  which 
proved  that  they  had  never  before  seen  soldiers. 

As  the  first  scare  wore  off,  however,  we  found  the 
women  and  children  remaining  at  home,  while  the  men 
went  to  the  muster.  When  a  thirsty  cavalryman  rode 
up  to  a  house  to  inquire  for  buttermilk,  he  was  gen 
erally  met  by  a  buxom  dame,  with  a  half-dozen  or 
more  small  children  peeping  out  from  her  volumi 
nous  skirts,  who,  in  response  to  a  question  about 
the  "old  man,"  would  say:  "The  men  hev  all  gone  to 
the  'rally';  you  '11  see  'em  soon."  We  experienced  lit 
tle  difficulty  in  procuring  food  for  man  and  horse. 
Usually  upon  our  raids  it  was  much  easier  to  obtain 
meat  than  bread.  But  in  Indiana  and  Ohio  we  always 
found  bread  ready  baked  at  every  house.  In  Ohio, 
on  more  than  one  occasion,  in  deserted  houses  we 
found  pies,  hot  from  the  oven,  displayed  upon  tables 
conveniently  spread.  The  first  time  that  I  witnessed 
this  sort  of  hospitality  was  when  I  rode  up  to  a  house 


134       ADVENTUBES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAB 

where  a  party  of  my  men  were  standing  around  a 
table  garnished  as  I  have  described,  eyeing  the  pies 
hungrily,  but  showing  no  disposition  to  touch  them. 
I  asked,  in  astonishment,  why  they  were  so  abstinent. 
One  of  them  replied  that  they  feared  the  pies  might 
be  poisoned.  I  was  quite  sure,  on  the  contrary,  that 
they  were  intended  as  a  propitiatory  offering.  I  have 
always  been  fond  of  pies, — these  were  of  luscious 
apples, — so  I  made  the  spokesman  hand  me  one  of  the 
largest,  and  proceeded  to  eat  it.  The  men  watched  me 
vigilantly  for  two  or  three  minutes,  and  then,  as  I 
seemed  much  better  after  my  repast,  they  took  hold 
ravenously. 

The  severe  marching  made  an  exchange  of  horses  a 
necessity,  though  as  a  rule  the  horses  we  took  were 
very  inferior  to  the  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  stock  we 
had  brought  with  us,  and  which  had  generally  a  large 
infusion  of  thoroughbred  blood.  The  horses  we  im 
pressed  were  for  the  most  part  heavy,  sluggish  beasts, 
barefooted  and  grass-fed,  and  gave  out  after  a  day  or 
two,  sometimes  in  a  few  hours.  A  strong  provost 
guard,  under  Major  Steele  of  the  3d  Kentucky,  had 
been  organized  to  prevent  the  two  practices  most  pre 
judicial  to  discipline  and  efficiency — straggling  and 
pillage.  There  were  very  good  reasons,  independent  of 
the  provost  guard,  why  the  men  should  not  straggle 
far  from  the  line  of  march ;  but  the  well-filled  stores 
and  gaudy  shop-windows  of  the  Indiana  and  Ohio 
towns  seemed  to  stimulate,  in  men  accustomed  to  im 
poverished  and  unpretentious  Dixie,  the  propensity  to 
appropriate  beyond  limit  or  restraint.  I  had  never 
before  seen  anything  like  this  disposition  to  plunder. 


A  KOMANCE  OF   MORGAN'S  EOUGH-EIDEES  135 

Our  perilous  situation  only  seemed  to  render  the  men 
more  reckless.  At  the  same  time,  anything  more 
ludicrous  than  the  manner  in  which  they  indulged 
their  predatory  tastes  can  scarcely  be  imagined.  The 
weather  was  intensely  warm, —  the  hot  July  sun 
burned  the  earth  to  powder,  and  we  were  breathing 
superheated  dust, —  yet  one  man  rode  for  three  days 
with  seven  pairs  of  skates  slung  about  his  neck; 
another  loaded  himself  with  sleigh-bells.  A  large  chaf 
ing-dish,  a  medium-sized  Dutch  clock,  a  green  glass 
decanter  with  goblets  to  match,  a  bag  of  horn  buttons, 
a  chandelier,  and  a  bird-cage  containing  three  canaries 
were  some  of  the  articles  I  saw  borne  off  and  jealously 
fondled.  The  officers  usually  waited  a  reasonable  pe 
riod,  until  the  novelty  had  worn  off,  and  then  had  this 
rubbish  thrown  away.  Baby  shoes  and  calico,  how 
ever,  were  the  staple  articles  of  appropriation.  A 
fellow  would  procure  a  bolt  of  calico,  carry  it  carefully 
for  a  day  or  two,  then  cast  it  aside  and  get  another. 

From  Cory  don  our  route  was  via  Salem,  Vienna, 
Lexington,  Paris,  Vernon,  Dupont,  and  Sumanville  to 
Harrison,  near  the  Ohio  State  line  and  twenty-five 
miles  from  Cincinnati.  Detachments  were  sent  to 
Madison,  Versailles,  and  other  points,  to  burn  bridges, 
bewilder  and  confuse  those  before  and  behind  us,  and 
keep  bodies  of  military  stationary  that  might  other 
wise  give  trouble.  All  were  drawn  in  before  we 
reached  Harrison.  At  this  point  Morgan  began  dem 
onstrations  intended  to  convey  the  impression  that  he 
would  cross  the  Cincinnati,  Hamilton,  and  Dayton  Rail 
road  at  Hamilton.  He  had  always  anticipated  difficulty 
in  getting  over  this  road ;  fearing  that  the  troops  from 


136        ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAB 

Kentucky  would  be  concentrated  at  or  near  Cincinnati, 
and  that  every  effort  would  be  made  to  intercept  him 
there.  If  these  troops  lined  the  railroad  and  were  judi 
ciously  posted,  he  knew  it  would  be  extremely  difficult 
to  elude  them  or  cut  his  way  through  them.  He  be 
lieved  that  if  he  could  pass  this  ordeal  safely,  the  suc 
cess  of  the  expedition  would  be  assured,  unless  the 
river  should  be  so  high  that  the  boats  would  be  able 
to  transport  troops  to  intercept  him  at  the  upper 
fords. 

After  remaining  at  Harrison  two  or  three  hours,  and 
sending  detachments  in  the  direction  of  Hamilton,  he 
moved  with  the  entire  column  on  the  Hamilton  road. 
But  as  soon  as  he  was  clear  of  the  town,  he  cut  the 
telegraph-wires — previously  left  intact  with  the  hope 
that  they  might  be  used  to  convey  intelligence  of  his 
apparent  movement  toward  Hamilton  —  and,  turning 
across  the  country,  gained  the  direct  road  to  Cincin 
nati.  He  hoped  that,  deceived  by  his  demonstrations 
at  Harrison,  the  larger  part  of  the  troops  at  Cincinnati 
would  be  sent  to  Hamilton,  and  that  it  would  be  too 
late  to  recall  them  when  his  movement  toward  Cin 
cinnati  was  discovered.  He  trusted  that  those  re 
maining  would  be  drawn  into  the  city,  under  the 
impression  that  he  meant  to  attack,  leaving  the  way 
clear  for  his  rapid  transit.  He  has  been  criticized 
for  not  attempting  the  capture  of  Cincinnati,  but  he 
had  no  mind  to  involve  his  handful  of  wearied  men  in 
a  labyrinth  of  streets.  We  felt  very  much  more  at 
home  amid  rural  surroundings.  But  if  he  had  taken 
Cincinnati,  and  had  safely  crossed  the  river  there,  the 
raid  would  have  been  so  much  briefer,  and  its  principal 


A  KOMANCE   OF   MOEGAN'S   BOUGH-BIDEKS  137 


138       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

object  to  that  extent  defeated  by  the  release  of  the 
troops  pursuing  us. 

We  reached  the  environs  of  Cincinnati  about  ten 
o'clock  at  night,  and  were  not  clear  of  them  until  after 
daybreak.  My  brigade  was  marching  in  the  rear,  and 
the  guides  were  with  General  Morgan  in  the  front. 
The  continual  straggling  of  some  companies  in  the 
rear  of  Johnson's  brigade  caused  me  to  become  sepa 
rated  from  the  remainder  of  the  column  by  a  wide  gap, 
and  I  was  for  some  time  entirely  ignorant  of  what  di 
rection  I  should  take.  The  night  was  pitch-dark,  and  I 
was  compelled  to  light  torches  and  seek  the  track  of 
the  column  by  the  foam  dropped  from  the  mouths  of 
the  horses  and  the  dust  kicked  up  by  their  feet.  At 
every  halt  which  this  groping  search  necessitated, 
scores  of  tired  men  would  fall  asleep  and  drop  out  of 
their  saddles.  Daylight  appeared  after  we  had  crossed 
all  of  the  principal  suburban  roads,  and  were  near  the 
Little  Miami  Railroad.  I  never  welcomed  the  fresh, 
invigorating  air  of  morning  more  gratefully.  That 
afternoon  we  reached  Williamsburg,  twenty-eight 
miles  east  of  Cincinnati. 

The  Ohio  militia  were  more  numerous  and  aggres 
sive  than  those  of  Indiana.  We  had  frequent  skir 
mishes  with  them  daily,  and  although  hundreds  were 
captured,  they  resumed  operations  as  soon  as  they 
were  turned  loose.  What  excited  in  us  more  astonish 
ment  than  all  else  we  saw  were  the  crowds  of  able- 
bodied  men.  The  contrast  with  the  South,  drained  of 
adult  males  to  recruit  her  armies,  was  striking,  and 
suggestive  of  anything  but  confidence  on  our  part  in 
the  result  of  the  struggle. 


A   ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  139 

At  Piketon  we  learned  that  Vicksburg  had  fallen, 
and  that  General  Lee,  having  been  repulsed  at  Gettys 
burg,  had  retreated  across  the  Potomac.  Under  the 
circumstances  this  information  was  peculiarly  disheart 
ening.  As  we  approached  Pomeroy  the  militia  began 
to  embarrass  our  march  by  felling  trees  and  erecting 
barricades  across  the  roads.  In  passing  near  that  town 
we  were  assailed  by  regular  troops, — as  we  called  the 
volunteers,  in  contradistinction  to  the  militia, — and 
forced  a  passage  only  by  some  sharp  fighting.  At  1 
p.  M.  on  the  18th  we  reached  Chester,  eighteen  miles 
from  Buffington's  Island.  A  halt  here  of  nearly  two 
hours  proved  disastrous,  as  it  caused  us  to  arrive  at 
the  river  after  nightfall,  and  delayed  any  attempt  at 
crossing  until  the  next  morning.  Morgan  thoroughly 
appreciated  the  importance  of  crossing  the  river  at 
once,  but  it  was  impossible.  The  darkness  was  intense, 
we  were  ignorant  of  the  ford  and  without  guides,  and 
were  encumbered  with  nearly  two  hundred  wounded, 
whom  we  were  unwilling  to  abandon.  By  instruction 
I  placed  the  5th  and  6th  Kentucky  in  position  to 
attack,  as  soon  as  day  broke,  an  earthwork  command 
ing  the  ford,  and  which  we  learned  was  mounted  with 
two  guns  and  manned  by  three  hundred  infantry.  At 
dawn  I  moved  upon  the  work,  and  found  it  had  been 
evacuated  and  the  guns  thrown  over  the  bluff.  Press- 
ing''on  a  few  hundred  yards  to  reconnoiter  the  Pome 
roy  road,  we  suddenly  encountered  the  enemy.  It 
proved  to  be  General  Judah's  advance.  The  5th  and 
6th  Kentucky  instantly  attacked  and  dispersed  it, 
taking  a  piece  of  artillery  and  forty  or  fifty  prisoners, 
and  inflicting  some  loss  in  killed  and  wounded. 


140        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

The  position  in  which  we  found  ourselves,  now  that 
we  had  light  enough  to  examine  the  ground,  was  any 
thing  but  favorable.  The  valley  we  had  entered,  about 
a  mile  long  and  perhaps  eight  hundred  yards  wide  at 
its  southern  extremity, — the  river  running  here  nearly 
due  north  and  south, — gradually  narrows,  as  the  ridge 
which  is  its  western  boundary  closely  approaches  the 
river-bank,  until  it  becomes  a  mere  ravine.  The 
Chester  road  enters  the  valley  at  a  point  about  equi 
distant  from  either  end.  As  the  5th  Kentucky  fell 
back  that  it  might  be  aligned  on  the  6th  Kentucky, 
across  the  southern  end  of  the  valley,  into  which 
Judah's  whole  force  was  now  pouring,  it  was  charged 
by  the  8th  and  9th  Michigan  and  a  detachment  of  the 
5th  Indiana.  A  part  of  the  5th  Kentucky  was  cut  off 
by  this  charge,  the  gun  we  had  taken  was  recaptured, 
and  our  Parrotts  also  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
They  were  so  clogged  with  dust,  however,  as  to  be 
almost  unserviceable,  and  their  ammunition  was  ex 
pended.  Bringing  up  a  part  of  the  2d  Kentucky, 
I  succeeded  in  checking  and  driving  back  the  regi 
ments  that  first  bore  down  on  us,  but  they  were 
quickly  reinforced  and  immediately  returned  to  the 
attack.  In  the  mean  time  Colonel  Johnson's  videttes 
on  the  Chester  road  had  been  driven  in,  and  the  cav 
alry  under  Hobson,  which  had  followed  us  throughout 
our  long  march,  deployed  on  the  ridge,  and  attacked  on 
that  side.  I  sent  a  courier  to  General  Morgan,  advis 
ing  that  he  retreat  up  the  river  and  out  of  the  valley 
with  all  the  men  he  could  extricate,  while  Colonel 
Johnson  and  I,  with  the  troops  already  engaged,  would 
endeavor  to  hold  the  enemy  in  check.  The  action  was 


A  ROMANCE   OF  MORGAN'S  ROUGH-RIDERS  141 

soon  hot  from  both  directions,  and  the  gunboats, 
steaming  up  the  river  abreast  of  us,  commenced  shell 
ing  vigorously.  We  were  now  between  three  assail 
ants.  A  sharp  artillery  fire  was  opened  by  each,  and 
the  peculiar  formation  we  were  compelled  to  adopt 
exposed  us  to  a  severe  cross-fire  of  small  arms. 

We  wrere  in  110  condition  to  make  a  successful  or 
energetic  resistance.  The  men  were  worn  out  and  de 
moralized  by  the  tremendous  march,  and  the  fatigue 
and  lack  of  sleep  for  the  ten  days  that  had  elapsed 
since  they  had  crossed  the  Ohio.  Having  had  no  op 
portunity  to  replenish  their  cartridge-boxes,  they  were 
almost  destitute  of  ammunition,  and  after  firing  two  or 
three  rounds  were  virtually  unarmed.  To  this  fact  is 
attributable  the  very  small  loss  our  assailants  sustained. 
Broken  down  as  we  were,  if  we  had  been  supplied  with 
cartridges  we  could  have  piled  the  ground  with  Judah's 
men  as  they  advanced  over  the  open  plain  into  the 
valley.  As  the  line,  seeking  to  cover  the  withdrawal 
of  the  troops  taken  off  by  General  Morgan,  was  rolled 
back  by  the  repeated  charges  of  the  enemy,  the  strag 
glers  were  rushing  wildly  about  the  valley,  with  bolts 
of  calico  streaming  from  their  saddles,  and  changing 
direction  with  every  shrieking  shell.  When  the  rear 
guard  neared  the  northern  end  of  the  valley, — out  of 
which  General  Morgan  with  the  greater  part  of  the 
command  had  now  passed, — and  perceived  that  the 
only  avenue  of  escape  was  through  a  narrow  gorge,  a 
general  rush  was  made  for  it.  The  Michigan  regi 
ments  dashed  into  the  mass  of  fugitives,  and  the  gun 
boats  swept  the  narrow  pass  with  grape.  All  order 
was  lost  in  a  wild  tide  of  flight. 


142        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

About  seven  hundred  were  captured  here,  and  per 
haps  a  hundred  and  twenty  killed  and  wounded. 
Probably  a  thousand  men  got  out  with  General  Mor 
gan.  Of  these  some  three  hundred  succeeded  in 
swimming  the  river  at  a  point  twenty  miles  above 
Buffington,  while  many  were  drowned  in  the  attempt. 
The  arrival  of  the  gunboats  prevented  others  from 
crossing.  General  Morgan  had  gotten  nearly  over, 
when,  seeing  that  the  bulk  of  his  command  must 
remain  on  the  Ohio  side,  he  returned.  For  six  more 
days  Morgan  taxed  energy  and  ingenuity  to  the  ut 
most  to  escape  the  toils.  Absolutely  exhausted,  he 
surrendered  near  the  Pennsylvania  line,  on  the  26th 
day  of  July,  with  three  hundred  and  sixty-four  men. 

The  expedition  was  of  immediate  benefit,  since  a 
part  of  the  forces  that  would  otherwise  have  harassed 
Bragg's  retreat  and  swollen  Rosecrans's  muster-roll  at 
Chickamauga  were  carried  by  the  pursuit  of  Morgan  so 
far  northward  that  they  were  kept  from  participating 
in  that  battle. 

But  Morgan's  cavalry  was  almost  destroyed,  and  his 
prestige  impaired.  Much  the  larger  number  of  the 
captured  men  lingered  in  the  Northern  prisons  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  That  portion  of  his  command 
which  had  remained  in  Tennessee  became  disinte 
grated  ;  the  men  either  were  incorporated  in  other 
organizations,  or,  attracted  by  the  fascinations  of 
irregular  warfare,  were  virtually  lost  to  the  service. 
Morgan,  after  four  or  five  months'  imprisonment  in 
the  Ohio  penitentiary,  effected  an  escape  which  has 
scarcely  a  parallel  for  ingenuity  and  daring.  He 
was  received  in  the  South  enthusiastically.  The 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  143 

authorities  at  Richmond  seemed  at  first  to  share  the 
popular  sympathy  and  admiration.  But  it  soon  be 
came  apparent  that  his  infraction  of  discipline  in 
crossing  the  Ohio  was  not  forgiven.  Placed  for  a  short 
time  in  practical  command  of  the  Department  of  South 
western  Virginia,  he  was  given  inadequate  means  for 
its  defense,  and  bound  with  instructions  which  ac 
corded  neither  with  his  temperament  nor  with  his  sit 
uation.  The  troops  he  commanded  were  not,  like  his 
old  riders,  accustomed  to  his  methods,  confident  in  his 
genius,  and  devoted  to  his  fortunes.  He  attempted 
aggressive  operations  with  his  former  energy  and  self- 
reliance,  but  not  with  his  former  success.  He  drove 
out  of  West  Virginia  two  invading  columns,  and  then 
made  an  incursion  into  the  heart  of  Kentucky — known 
as  his  last  Kentucky  raid  —  in  the  hope  of  anticipat 
ing  and  deterring  a  movement  into  his  own  territory. 
Very  successful  at  first,  this  raid  ended,  too,  in  disaster. 
After  capturing  and  dispersing  Federal  forces  in  the 
aggregate  much  larger  than  his  own,  he  encountered 
at  Cynthiana  a  vastly  superior  force,  and  was  defeated. 
Two  months  later,  September  4,  1864,  he  was  killed  at 
Greeneville,  Tennessee,  while  advancing  to  attack  the 
Federal  detachments  stationed  in  front  of  Knoxville. l 

!E.  W.  Doran  of  Greeneville,  residence  in  town.  At  this  time 

Tenn.,  gives  the  following  partic-  Captain  Robert  C.  Carter,  in  com- 

ulars  of  General  Morgan's  death  :  mand  of  a  company  of  Colonel 

Crawford's  regiment,  was  stationed 

General  Morgan  came  to  Greene-  three  or  four  miles  north  of  the 

ville  on  September  3,  and  stationed  town.  He  got  accurate  information 

his  troops  on  a  hill  overlooking  the  of  Morgan's  whereabouts,  and  sent 

town  from  the  east,  while  he  and  a  messenger  at  once  to  General  A. 

his  staff  were  entertained  at  the  C.  Gillem,  at  Bull's  Gap,  sixteen 

"  Williams  Mansion,"  the  finest  miles  distant.  This  message  was 


144       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

The  remnant  of  his  old  command  served  during  the 
gloomy  winter  of  1864-65  in  the  region  where  their 
leader  met  death,  fighting  often  on  the  same  ground. 
When  Eichmond  fell,  and  Lee  surrendered,  they 
marched  to  join  Joseph  E.  Johnston.  After  his  capit 
ulation  they  were  part  of  the  escort  that  guarded 
Jefferson  Davis  in  his  aimless  retreat  from  Charlotte, 
and  laid  down  their  arms  at  Woodville,  Georgia,  by 
order  of  John  C.  Breckinridge,  when  the  armies  of  the 
Confederacy  were  disbanded,  and  its  President  became 
a  fugitive. 

II.    THE  CAPTURE 

BY   OKLANDO   B.   WILLCOX 

WHEN  it  was  known  at  Indianapolis  that  Gen 
eral  Morgan,  with  a  large  force,  had  crossed 
the  Ohio,  the  city  was  panic-stricken.     The  State  had 

intrusted  to  John  Davis   and  two  they   arrived    about   daylight,    and 

other  young  men  of  his  company,  surrounded  the  house  where  Morgan 

who  rode  through  a  fearful  storm,  was.     He  ran  out,  without  waiting 

picking  their  way  by  the  lightning-  to  dress,  to  conceal  himself  in  the 

flashes  and  arriving  there  some  time  shrubbery   and   grape    arbors,    but 

before   midnight.     Other  messages  was  seen  from  the  street  and  shot 

were  probably  sent  to  Gillem  that  by  Andrew  G.  Campbell,  a  private 

night   from    Greene ville,    but    this  in  the    13th  Tennessee.     Campbell 

was  the  first  received.     The  report  was    promoted    to    a    lieutenancy, 

usually  given  in  the  histories  to  the  Morgan's   body  was   afterward  se- 

effect   that  Mrs.    Joseph   Williams  cured    by    his    friends    and    given 

carried  the  news  is  not  correct,  as  decent  burial.     But  little  firing  was 

she  was  known  to  be  in  an  opposite  done    by   either    array;    and   after 

direction  several  miles,  and   knew  Morgan     was     killed      his     forces 

nothing  of  the  affair.     In  an  hour  marched    out    of    town   while    the 

after    the   message    was    delivered  Union  forces  marched  in,  in  easy 

Gillem's  forces   were   hurrying    on  range  of  each  other,  yet  not  a  shot 

their    way    to    Greerieville,    where  was  fired  on  either  side. 


145 

been  literally  depleted  of  troops  to  assist  Kentucky, 
and  everybody  knew  it.  The  very  worst  was  appre 
hended — that  railways  would  be  cut  up,  passenger 
and  freight  trains  robbed,  bridges  and  depots  burned, 
our  arsenal  pillaged,  two  thousand  Confederate  prison 
ers  at  Camp  Morton  liberated,  and  Jefferson  ville,  with 
all  its  Government  stores,  and  possibly  Indianapolis 
itself,  destroyed. 

Nor  was  this  all.  It  had  been  reported,  and  partly 
believed,  as  afterward  indeed  proved  to  be  the  fact, 
that  the  State  was  literally  undermined  with  rebel 
sympathizers  banded  together  in  secret  organizations. 
The  coming  of  Morgan  had  been  looked  for,  and  his 
progress  through  Kentucky  watched  with  consider 
able  anxiety.  It  was  gloomily  predicted  that  hun 
dreds,  perhaps  thousands,  of  u  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle"  and  of  "Sons  of  Liberty"  would  flock  to  his 
standard  and  endeavor  to  carry  the  State  over  to  the 
Confederacy. 

Morgan  probably  had  fair  reason  to  believe  that 
his  ranks  would  be  at  least  largely  recruited  in  the 
southern  counties  of  Indiana.  The  governor  of  In 
diana,  Oliver  P.  Morton,  went  to  work  with  all  his 
tremendous  energy  and  indomitable  will,  in  the  face 
of  the  greatest  opposition  that  had  been  encountered 
in  any  Northern  State,  amounting,  just  before,  almost 
to  open  rebellion.  He  proclaimed  martial  law, 
though  not  in  express  terms,  and  ordered  out  the 
"Legion,"  or  militia,  and  called  upon  the  loyal  citi 
zens  of  the  State  to  enroll  themselves  as  minute-men, 
to  organize  and  report  for  arms  and  for  martial  duty. 
Thousands  responded  to  the  call  within  twenty-four 


10 


146       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

hours — many  within  two  hours.1  Everything  possible 
was  done  by  telegraph,  until  the  lines  were  cut.  Some 
arms  were  found  in  the  State  Arsenal,  and  more,  with 
accoutrements  and  ammunition,  together  with  whole 
batteries  of  artillery,  were  procured  from  Chicago  and 
St.  Louis. 

The  disposition  of  the  State  levies  that  came  throng 
ing  in  was  left  to  me  as  fast  as  they  were  armed.  The 
three  great  junctions  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Rail 
road  in  Indiana,  over  which  troops  and  supplies  were 
shipped  from  all  points  to  Rosecrans  at  Chattanooga, — 
viz.,  Mitchell,  Seymour,  and  Yernon, — were  first  to  be 
made  secure;  for  surely  Morgan  must  have  some  mili 
tary  objectives,  and  these  appeared  to  be  the  most 
likely.  The  westerly  junction  was  Mitchell.  This 
was  quickly  occupied  and  guarded  by  General  James 
Hughes,  with  Legion  men,  reinforced  by  the  new 
organizations  rising  in  that  quarter.  Seymour  was 
the  most  central,  and  lay  directly  on  the  road  to  Cin 
cinnati  and  Indianapolis  from  Louisville;  and  at  Sey 
mour  a  brigade  was  assembled  from  the  center  of 
the  State,  with  General  John  Love,  a  skilful  old  army 
officer,  to  command  it,  with  instructions  to  have  an 
eye  to  Vernon  likewise.  To  this  last  point  Burnside 
ordered  a  battery  from  Cincinnati;  and  what  few 


l  According  to  the  report  of  the  out;  many  of  them  refused  pay,  yet 

adjutant-general  of  Indiana,  30,000  $232,000  were  disbursed  for  services 

militia  assembled  within  thirty-six  during  the  raid.     It  would  appear, 

hours,  and  about  the  time  Morgan  therefore,  that  120,000  militia  took 

was  leaving  the  State  65,000  men  the  field  against  Morgan,  in  addi- 

were  in  the  field.     In  Ohio,  accord-  (ion  to  the  three  brigades  of  General 

ing  to  a  report  made  to  the  adju-  Judah's   United    States   cavalry.  — 

tant-general,   55,000  militia  turned  EDITOR. 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   BOUGH-RIDERS  147 

troops  I  had  in  Michigan,  though  half  organized,  came 
down  to  Yernon  and  to  General  Love.  Besides  these 
thus  rendezvoused,  the  people  of  the  southern  counties 
were  called  upon  to  bushwhack  the  enemy,  to  obstruct 
roads,  to  guard  trains,  bridges,  etc.,  and  to  make  them 
selves  generally  useful  and  pestiferous. 

Our  militia  first  came  in  contact  with  the  enemy 
opposite  Brandenburg,  where  he  crossed;  but  it  made 
the  stand  at  Corydon  Junction,  where  the  road  runs 
between  two  abrupt  hills,  across  which  Colonel  Lewis 
Jordan  threw  up  some  light  intrenchments.  Morgan's 
advance  attempted  to  ride  over  these  "rail-piles"  rough 
shod,  but  lost  some  twenty  troopers  unhorsed.  They 
brought  up  their  reserve  and  artillery,  flanked,  and 
finally  surrounded  Colonel  Jordan,  who,  after  an  hour's 
resolute  resistance,  surrendered. 

This  gave  the  raiders  the  town,  and  the  citizens  the 
first  taste  of  Morgan's  style,  which  somewhat  disgusted 
the  numerous  class  of  Southern  sympathizers.  The 
shops  were  given  up  to  plunder,  and  the  ladies  levied 
on  for  meals  for  the  whole  command. 

Throwing  out  columns  in  various  directions,  Morgan 
pushed  for  Mitchell,  where  no  doubt  he  expected  to 
cut  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  Eailroad,  got  as  far  as 
Salem  in  that  direction,  captured  or  dispersed  a  few 
squads  of  badly  armed  minute-men  who  were  guarding 
depots  and  bridges,  which  he  burned,  and  doubtless 
hearing  from  his  scouts,  sent  out  in  citizens'  clothes, 
of  Hughes's  force  collected  at  Mitchell,  he  discreetly 
turned  off  northeastward,  apparently  aiming  next  for 
Seymour.  This  I  heard  with  great  satisfaction. 

The  panic  at  Indianapolis  began  to  subside.    Still  I 


148        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

felt  uneasy  for  Seymour,  as  I  next  heard  of  Morgan 
at  Vienna,  where  he  tapped  the  telegraph-lines  and 
learned  what  he  could  of  all  our  plans  to  catch  him. 
He  came  within  nine  miles  of  Seymour.  General  Love 
sent  out  a  reconnaissance  of  sharpshooters  under 
Colonel  C.  Y.  De  Land,  with  a  couple  of  field-pieces. 
They  found  that  Morgan  had  turned  off  eastward. 
Love  divined  his  object,  and  started  De  Land  and  two 
Indiana  regiments  of  militia  for  Yernon.  Here  Morgan 
next  turned  up,  planted  his  Parrotts,  and  demanded 
surrender.  He  was  defied  until  Love's  arrival  with 
the  rest  of  his  militia,  and  then  he  swept  off  in  a  hurry 
from  Yernon,  followed  by  our  men,  who  captured  his 
pickets  and  rear-guard,  but  who,  having  no  cavalry, 
were  soon  outmarched. 

Morgan  secured  a  great  advantage  by  seizing  all  the 
horses  within  reach,1  leaving  none  for  the  militia  or 
for  General  E.  H.  Hobson,  which  enabled  him  to  gain 
on  his  pursuers,  and  he  would  then  have  left  Hobson 
far  out  of  sight  but  for  the  home  guard,  who  ob 
structed  the  roads  somewhat,  and  bushwhacked  his 
men  from  every  hedge,  hill,  or  tree,  when  it  could  be 
done.  But  the  trouble  was  that  we  could  not  attack 
him  with  sufficient  organized  numbers. 

After  he  left  Yernon  we  felt  safe  at  Indianapolis. 
"Defensive  sites"  were  abandoned,  and  the  banks 

1  General  J.  M.  Schackelford  says  head  of  each  regiment,  on  each  side 

in  his  official  report :    "  Our  pursuit  of  the  road,  to  go  five  miles  into 

was  much  retarded  by  the  enemy's  the   country,  seizing  every  horse, 

burning  all  the  bridges  in  our  front,  and  then  fall  in  at  the  rear  of  the 

He  had  every  advantage.     His  sys-  column.      In    this    way  he    swept 

tern  of  horse-stealing  was  perfect,  the   country  for  ten   miles   of  all 

He  would  despatch  men  from  the  the  horses." — EDITOR. 


A  ROMANCE   OP  MORGAN'S  BOUGH-RIDERS  149 

brought  back  their  deposits  which  they  had  sent  off 
by  express  to  Chicago  and  the  North.  Some  fears,  or 
hopes,  were  entertained  as  to  Madison,  toward  which 
Morgan  next  bent  his  way  —  fears  for  the  safety  of 
that  city,  and  hopes  that,  with  the  help  of  Judah's 
troops  and  the  gunboats  now  on  the  way  up  the  river, 
we  might  put  an  end  to  the  raid.  From  Indianapolis 
we  started  General  Lew  Wallace  with  a  good  brigade 
of  minute-men,  and  with  high  hopes  that  at  either 
Madison  or  Lawrenceburg,  farther  up  the  river,  he 
might  "  capture  them."  The  people  ahead  were  asked 
by  telegraph  to  cooperate.  But  after  going  down  that 
line  as  far  as  Dupont,  Morgan  turned  northeast  for  Ver 
sailles,  where  we  next  heard  of  him  threatening  the  Cin 
cinnati  and  Indianapolis  Railway.  This  was  a  nice  bit 
of  work.  He  baffled  all  our  calculations,  and  did  some 
damage  on  both  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  and  Cincinnati 
railroads,  sending  off  flying  columns  in  a  dozen  direc 
tions  at  a  time  for  the  purpose,  as  well  as  to  throw 
Ilobson  off  the  scent.  Some  of  these  columns  looked 
like  traveling  circuses  adorned  with  useless  plunder 
and  an  excess  of  clowns.  Thus  they  went  through 
Pierceville  and  Milan  to  Harrison,  on  White  Eiver, 
and  on  the  Ohio  line.  Here  Hobson's  advance  came 
upon  them,  but  unfortunately  it  paused  to  plant  artil 
lery,  instead  of  dashing  across  the  bridge  and  engaging 
the  raiders  until  the  main  body  should  arrive.  This 
lost  us  the  bridge,  which  was  burned  before  our  eyes, 
and  many  hours'  delay,  marching  round  by  the  ford. 
Their  next  demonstration  was  toward  Hamilton.  Here 
there  was  a  fine  railway  bridge  over  the  Big  Miami. 
Hobson  followed  in  such  close  pursuit  through  New 


150       ADVENTUllES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAB 

Baltimore,  Glendale,  and  Miamiville  that  the  raiders 
did  little  damage.  Their  attempt  to  burn  a  bridge  at 
Miamiville  was  repulsed  by  the  home  guard.  My  last 
troops  were  despatched  from  Indianapolis  to  head 
them  off  at  Hamilton,  after  five  hours'  delay  caused 
by  the  intoxication  of  their  commander.  His  suc 
cessor  in  command  was  General  Hascall,  who  swore 
like  a  trooper  to  find  himself  "just  in  time  to  be  too 
late."  He  proceeded  through  Hamilton,  Ohio,  as  far 
as  Loveland.  But  Morgan  had  sent  only  a  detachment 
toward  Hamilton  to  divert  attention  from  Cincinnati, 
toward  which  he  made  a  rapid  march  with  his  whole 
united  force. 

Governor  Tod  of  Ohio  had  already  called  out  the 
militia  and  proclaimed  martial  law.  He  raised  men 
enough,  but  Burnside  had  to  organize  and  arm  them. 
Morgan  found  the  great  city  guarded,  but  he  passed 
through  the  very  suburbs  by  a  night  march  around 
it,  unmolested.  He  crossed  the  Little  Miami  Railroad 
at  daylight,  and  came  north  in  sight  of  Camp  Denni- 
son,  where  Colonel  Neff  half  armed  his  convalescents, 
threw  out  pickets,  dug  rifle-pits,  and  threw  up  in- 
trenchments.  His  fiery  old  veterans  saved  a  railway 
bridge,  and  actually  captured  a  lieutenant  and  others 
before  they  sheered  off  and  went  some  ten  miles 
northward  to  Williamsburg.  From  that  point  they 
seemed  to  be  steering  for  the  great  bend  of  the  Ohio 
at  Pomeroy. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati,  Colonel  "W.  P.  Sanders, 
the  splendid  raider  of  East  Tennessee,  came  up  from 
Kentucky  with  some  Michigan  cavalry,  and  joined 
Hobson  in  pursuit,  and  these  were  about  the  only 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  151 

fresh  horses  in  the  chase.  Sanders  had  come  by 
steamer,  and,  landing  at  Cincinnati,  had  been  thrown 
out  from  there,  it  was  hoped,  ahead  of  Morgan,  who, 
however,  was  too  quick  for  him.  They  met  later  on. 

Under  the  good  management  of  Colonel  A.  V.  Kautz 
in  advance,  with  his  brigade,  and  of  Sanders,  the 
men  now  marched  more  steadily  and  gained  ground. 
Kautz  had  observed  how  the  other  brigade  comman 
ders  had  lost  distance  and  blown  their  horses  by  follow 
ing  false  leads,  halting  and  closing  up  rapidly  at  the 
frequent  reports  of  "  enemy  in  front,"  and  by  stopping 
to  plant  artillery.  Marching  in  his  own  way,  at  a 
steady  walk,  his  brigade  forming  the  rear-guard,  he 
had  arrived  at  Batavia  two  hours  before  the  main 
body,  that  had  been  "  cavorting  round  the  country " 
all  day,  "misled  by  two  citizen  guides" — possibly  Mor 
gan's  own  men. 

Not  stopping  to  draw  the  rations  sent  out  to  him 
from  Cincinnati,  Hobson  urged  his  jaded  horses 
through  Brown,  Adams,  and  Pike  counties,  now  under 
the  lead  of  Kautz,  and  reached  Jasper,  on  the  Scioto, 
at  midnight  of  the  16th,  Morgan  having  passed  there 
at  sundown.  The  next  day  they  raced  through  Jack 
son.  On  the  18th,  Hobson,  at  Rutland,  learned  that 
Morgan  had  been  turned  off  by  the  militia  at  Pomeroy, 
and  had  taken  the  Chester  road  for  Portland  and 
the  fords  of  the  Ohio.  The  chase  became  animated. 
Our  troopers  made  a  march  of  fifty  miles  that  day  and 
still  had  twenty-five  miles  to  reach  Chester.  They 
arrived  there  without  a  halt  at  eleven  at  night,  and  had 
still  fifteen  miles  to  reach  the  ford.  They  kept  on,  and 
at  dawn  of  the  19th  struck  the  enemy's  pickets.  Two 


152       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

miles  out  from  Portland,  Morgan  was  brought  to  bay 
—  and  not  by  Hobson  alone.  First  came  the  militia, 
then  came  Judah.  His  division  had  pushed  up  the 
river  in  steamers  parallel  with  Morgan's  course.  Lieu 
tenant  John  O'Neil,  afterward  of  Fenian  fame,  with  a 
troop  of  Indiana  cavalry,  kept  up  the  touch  on  Mor 
gan's  right  flank  by  a  running  fight,  stinging  it  at 
every  vulnerable  point,  and  reporting  Morgan's  course 
to  Judah  in  the  neck-and-neck  race.  Aided  by  the 
local  militia,  O'Neil  now  dashed  ahead  and  fearlessly 
skirmished  with  the  enemy's  flankers  from  every 
coign  of  vantage.  He  reached  the  last  descent  to  the 
river-bottom  near  Buffington  Bar,  and  near  the  his 
torical  Blennerhasset's  Island,  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  19th. 

The  Ohio  River  was  up.  It  had  risen  unexpectedly. 
But  here  Morgan  must  cross,  if  at  all.  It  could  not  be 
forded  by  night,  when  he  got  here.  He  tried  the  ford 
at  Blennerh asset.  Failing  in  this,  his  men  collected 
flatboats,  and  set  to  work  calking  them,  meantime 
sending  a  party  to  Buffington  Bar,  where  they  found 
a  small  earthwork  and  captured  its  guard;  and  these 
things  delayed  them  until  morning.  General  Judah 
attempted  a  reconnaissance,  resulting  in  a  fight,  which 
he  describes  as  follows  in  his  report : 

Before  leaving  Pomeroy  I  despatched  a  courier  to  General  Hob- 
son,  apprising  him  of  my  direction,  and  requesting  him  to  press  the 
enemy's  rear  with  all  the  forces  he  could  bring  up.  Traveling  all 
night,  I  reached  the  last  descent  to  the  river-bottom  at  Buffington 
Bar  at  5.30  A.  M.  on  the  19th.  Here,  halting  my  force,  and  placing 
my  artillery  in  a  commanding  position,  I  determined  to  make  a 
reconnaissance  in  person,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  if  a  report 


A  EOMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S  HOUGH-EIDERS  153 

just  made  to  me — that  the  gunboats  had  left  on  a  previous  even 
ing,  the  home  guards  had  retreated,  and  that  the  enemy  had 
been  crossing  all  night  —  was  true.  A  very  dense  fog  enveloped 
everything,  confining  the  view  of  surrounding  objects  to  a  radius  of 
about  fifty  yards.  I  was  accompanied  by  a  small  advance-guard, 
my  escort,  and  one  piece  of  Henshaw's  battery,  a  section  of  which, 
under  Captain  Henshaw,  I  had  ordered  to  join  my  force.  I 
advanced  slowly  and  cautiously  along  a  road  leading  toward  the 
river,  .  .  .  when  my  little  force  found  itself  enveloped  on  three 
sides  —  front  and  both  flanks  —  by  three  regiments,  dismounted, 
and  led  by  Colonel  Basil  [W.]  Duke,  just  discernible  through  the 
fog,  at  a  distance  of  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  yards.  This  force, 
as  I  afterward  learned,  had  been  disposed  for  the  capture  of 
the  home  guards,  intrenched  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  To 
use  Colonel  Duke's  own  expression  after  his  capture,  "  He  could 
not  have  been  more  surprised  at  the  presence  of  my  force  if 
it  had  been  dropped  from  the  clouds."  As  soon  as  discovered, 
the  enemy  opened  a  heavy  fire,  advancing  so  rapidly  that  before 
the  piece  of  artillery  could  be  brought  into  battery  it  was 
captured,  as  were  also  Captain  R.  C.  Kise,  my  assistant  adjutant- 
general,  Captain  Grafton,  volunteer  aide-de-camp,  and  between 
twenty  and  thirty  of  my  men.  Two  privates  were  killed. 
Major  McCook  (since  dead),  paymaster  and  volunteer  aide- 
de-camp,1  Lieutenant  F.  G.  Price,  aide-de-camp,  and  ten  men 
were  wounded.  Searching  in  vain  for  an  opening  through  which 
to  charge  and  temporarily  beat  back  the  enemy,  I  was  compelled 
to  fall  back  upon  the  main  body,  which  I  rapidly  brought  up  into 
position,  and  opened  a  rapid  and  beautifully  accurate  artillery  fire 
from  the  pieces  of  the  5th  Indiana  upon  a  battery  of  two  pieces 
which  the  enemy  had  opened  upon  me,  as  well  as  upon  his  deployed 
dismounted  force  in  line.  Obstructing  fences  prevented  a  charge 
by  my  cavalry.  In  less  than  half  an  hour  the  enemy's  lines  were 
broken  and  in  retreat.  The  advance  of  my  artillery,  and  a  charge 
of  cavalry  made  by  Lieutenant  O'Neil,  5th  Indiana  Cavalry,  with 

i  Major  Daniel  McCook,  father  of  strance,  to  find  the  slayer  of  his  son 
the  famous  fighting  family,  who  (General  Robert  L.  McCook),  re- 
pushed  himself  in,  against  remon-  ported  to  be  with  Morgan. 


154       ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

only  fifty  men,  converted  his  retreat  into  a  rout,  and  drove  him 
upon  General  Hobson's  forces,  which  had  engaged  him  upon  the 
other  road.  His  prisoners,  the  piece  of  artillery  lost  by  me,  all  of 
his  own  artillery  (five  pieces),  his  camp  equipage,  and  transporta 
tion  and  plunder  of  all  kinds,  were  abandoned  and  captured.  We 
also  captured  large  numbers  of  prisoners,  including  Colonels  Basil 
[W.]  Duke,  Dick  [R.  C.]  Morgan,  and  Allen  [Ward?],  and  the  most 
of  General  Morgan's  staff. 

Yet  with  a  considerable  force  Morgan  succeeded  in 
making  his  escape,  and  started  into  the  interior  like  a 
fox  for  cover.  Passing  around  the  advanced  column 
of  his  enemy,  he  suddenly  came  upon  the  end  of 
Shackelford's  column,  under  Wolford,  whom  he  at 
once  attacked  with  his  usual  audacity.  Shackelford 
reversed  his  column,  selected  his  best  horses,  and 
gave  pursuit.  He  overtook  the  enemy  at  Backum 
Church,  where  Wolford's  Kentucky  fellows  rushed 
upon  Morgan's  men  with  drawn  sabers  and  Ken 
tucky  yells,  and  chased  them  until  next  afternoon, 
when  they  were  found  collected  on  a  high  bluff, 
where  some  hundreds  surrendered;  but  Morgan  again 
escaped,  and  with  over  six  hundred  horsemen  gave 
our  fellows  a  long  chase  yet  by  the  dirt  road  and 
by  rail.  Continuing  north  through  several  counties, 
he  veered  northwest  toward  the  Pennsylvania  line, 
even  now  burning  buildings,  car-loads  of  freight, 
and  bridges  by  the  way,  though  hotly  hounded  by 
Shackelford,  and  flanked  and  headed  off  by  troops 
in  cars. 

Among  the  latter  was  Major  "W.  B.  Way,  of  the  9th 
Michigan,  with  a  battalion  of  his  regiment.  Way  had 
left  the  cars  at  Mingo  and  marched  over  near  to 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS 


155 


Steubenville,1  where  he  began  a  skirmish  which  lasted 
over  twenty-five  miles  toward  Salineville,  away  up  in 
Columbiana  County.  Here  he  brought  Morgan  to 
bay.  The  latter  still  fought  desperately,  losing  200 
prisoners,  and  over  70  of  his  men  killed  or  wounded, 
and  skipped  away.  Another  Union  detachment  came 
up  by  rail  under  Major  George  W.  Rue,  of  the  9th 
Kentucky  Cavalry,  joined  Shackelford  at  Hamrnonds- 
ville,  and  took  the  advance  with  300  men. 


IMr.  E.  E.  Day  makes  the  fol 
lowing  statement  in  regard  to 
Morgan's  brief  stay  at  Winters- 
ville  : 

Defeated  at  Buffington  Bar,  Morgan 
abandoned  his  plan  of  making  a  water 
ing  trough  of  Lake  Erie,  and  fled  north 
through  the  tier  of  river  counties, 
keeping  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Ohio. 
The  river  was  low,  but  not  fordable 
except  at  Coxe's  Riffle,  a  few  miles  be 
low  Steubenville.  Headed  at  this  point 
also,  he  struck  across  the  country  and 
passed  through  Wintersville,  a  small 
village  five  miles  west  of  Steubenville. 
That  was  a  memorable  Saturday  in 
Wintersville.  Morgan's  progress  across 
the  State  had  been  watched  with  the 
most  feverish  anxiety,  and  the  dread 
that  the  village  might  lie  in  his  path 
filled  the  hearts  of  many.  The  wildest 
rumors  passed  current.  Morgan  and 
his  "  guerrillas,"  it  was  said,  would  kill 
all  the  men,  lay  the  village  in  ashes, 
and  carry  off  the  women  and  children. 
The  militia,  or  "  hundred-day  men," 
who  lived  in  or  near  the  village,  drilled 
in  the  village  streets,  and  fired  rattling 
volleys  of  blank  cartridges  at  a  board 
fence,  in  preparation  for  the  coming 
conflict.  On  Friday  evening  word 
came  that  Morgan  would  attempt  to 
force  a  passage  at  Coxe's  Riffle  the  next 
morning,  and  the  militia  marched  to 


Steubenville  to  help  intercept  him.  A 
bloody  battle  was  expected.  About  the 
middle  of  the  forenoon  a  horseman 
dashed  into  the  village  shouting, 
"  Morgan  's  coining  !  He  's  just  down 
at  John  Hanna's !  "  and  galloped  on  to 
warn  others.  Mr.  Hanna  was  a  farmer 
living  about  a  mile  south  of  the  village. 
He  had  shouldered  his  musket  and 
gone  with  the  militia,  leaving  his  wife 
and  two  children  at  home.  About  ten 
o'clock  Morgan's  men  were  seen  coming 
up  the  road.  Mrs.  Hanna  with  her 
children  attempted  to  reach  a  neigh 
bor's  house,  but  they  were  overtaken 
and  ordered  to  the  house,  which  they 
found  full  of  soldiers.  Morgan  and  his 
officers  were  stretched,  dusty  clothes, 
boots,  and  all,  upon  her  beds,  and  a 
negro  was  getting  dinner.  While  the 
third  table  was  eating,  a  squad  of  mili 
tiamen  appeared  on  a  neighboring  hill. 
Morgan  ordered  their  capture,  saying, 
"What  will  those  Yankees  do  with  the 
thousand  men  I  have  ? "  A  number  of 
Morgan's  men  started  to  carry  out  their 
chief's  command,  but  the  militia  made 
good  their  escape.  Soon  after,  word 
came  that  Shackelford's  men  were 
near,  and  Morgan  left  so  hurriedly  that 
he  neglected  to  take  the  quilts  and 
blankets  his  men  had  selected. 

In  the  village  all  was  consternation. 
Many  of  the  women  and  children 
gathered  at  the  Maxwell  Tavern.  Their 


156       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

At  Saline ville  he  found  Morgan,  pursued  by  Major 
Way,  pushing  for  Smith's  Ford  on  the  Ohio.  Break 
ing  into  trot  and  gallop,  he  outmarched  and  inter 
cepted  the  fugitives  at  the  cross-roads  near  Beaver 
Creek,  and  had  gained  the  enemy's  front  and  flank 
when  a  flag  of  truce  was  raised,  and  Morgan  coolly 
demanded  his  surrender.  Rue's  threat  to  open  fire 
brought  Morgan  to  terms,  when  another  issue  was 


terror  upon  hearing  that  Morgan  was 
"just  down  at  Hanna's  "  cannot  be  de 
scribed.  Word  had  been  sent  to  Steu- 
benville,  and  Colonel  James  Collier 
marched  out  with  a  force  of  about 
eight  hundred  militia,  sending  a  squad 
under  command  of  Captain  Prentiss  to 
reconnoiter.  They  galloped  through 
the  village,  and  as  Morgan's  advance 
came  in  sight  began  firing.  The  fire 
was  returned,  and  a  private  named 
Parks,  from  Steuben  ville,  was  wounded. 
Morgan's  men  charged  the  scouting 
party,  sending  them  through  the  vil 
lage  back  to  the  main  body  in  a  very 
demoralized  condition.  The  frightened 
women,  and  still  worse  frightened  chil 
dren,  no  sooner  saw  the  "dust-brown 
ranks  "  of  the  head  of  Morgan's  column 
than  they  beat  a  hasty  retreat  down 
the  alley  to  the  house  of  Dr.  Markle, 
the  village  physician.  This  change  of 
base  was  made  under  fire,  as  Morgan's 
men  were  shooting  at  the  retreating 
militia,  and  also  at  a  house  owned  by 
William  Fisher,  in  which  they  had 
heard  there  were  a  number  of  militia 
men.  At  the  doctor's  house  all  crowded 
into  one  room,  and  were  led  in  prayer 
by  the  minister's  wife.  The  retreat  of 
the  scouting  party  did  not  have  a  very 
cheering  effect  upon  the  advancing 
militia.  As  they  passed  a  field  of 
broom-corn  several  men  suddenly  dis 
appeared,  their  swift  course  through 
the  cane  being  easily  followed  by  the 


swaying  of  the  tassels.  The  militia 
were  met  by  rumors  that  the  village 
was  in  ashes.  Morgan  did  not  set  fire 
to  the  village,  but  his  men  found  time 
to  explore  the  village  store,  and  to 
search  the  Fisher  house,  in  the  second 
story  of  which  they  found  a  flag.  Mor 
gan's  men  were  hardly  out  of  sight  on 
the  Richmond  road  when  Colonel  Col 
lier  and  the  militia  appeared.  They 
formed  line  of  battle  on  a  hill  east  of 
the  village  just  in  time  to  see  Shackel- 
ford's  advance  coming  along  the  road 
over  which  they  were  expecting  Mor 
gan.  The  colonel  at  once  opened  fire 
with  his  six-pounder  loaded  with  scrap- 
iron.  The  first  shot  did  little  damage. 
One  piece  of  scrap-iron  found  its  way 
to  the  right,  and  struck  with  a  resound 
ing  thwack  against  the  end  of  the  Max 
well  Tavern.  The  second  shot  did  not 
hit  anything.  One  of  Shackelford's 
officers  rode  across  the  field  and  in 
quired,  "What  are  you  fools  shooting 
at  ?  "  The  colonel  then  learned,  to  his 
astonishment,  that  Morgan  was  at  least 
two  miles  out  on  the  Richmond  road. 
Many  who  had  been  conspicuously  ab 
sent  then  showed  themselves,  and  the 
daring  deeds  and  hairbreadth  escapes 
which  came  to  light  are  not  to  be 
lightly  referred  to.  At  least  a  dozen 
dead  rebels,  it  was  said,  would  be  dis 
covered  in  the  fields  when  the  farmers 
came  to  cut  their  oats,  but  for  some 
reason  the  bodies  were  never  found. 


A  KOMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS 


raised.  It  was  now  claimed  that  Morgan  had  already 
surrendered,  namely,  to  a  militia  officer,  and  had  been 
by  him  paroled.  This  "  officer  "  turned  out  to  be  "  Cap 
tain"  James  Burbick,  of  the  home  guard.1  Rue  held 
Morgan,  with  364  officers  and  men  and  400  horses,  till 
Greneral  Shackelford  came  up,  who  held  them  as  pris 
oners  of  war. 

And  thus  ended  the  greatest  of  Morgan's  raids.  By 
it  Bragg  lost  a  fine  large  division  of  cavalry,  that,  if 
added  to  Buckner's  force, —  already  equal  to  Burnside's 
in  East  Tennessee, —  might  have  defeated  Burnside; 
or,  if  thrown  across  Rosecrans's  flanks  or  long  lines  of 
supply  and  communication,  or  used  in  reconnaissance 
on  the  Tennessee  River,  might  have  baffled  Rosecrans's 
plans  altogether.  As  it  was,  Rosecrans  was  able  to 
deceive  Bragg  by  counterfeit  movements  that  could 
easily  have  been  detected  by  Morgan. 


l  General  W.  T.  H.  Brooks  says 
in  his  report : 

Morgan  had  passed  a  company  of 
citizens  from  New  Lisbon,  and  agreed 
not  to  fire  upon  them  if  they  would  not 
fire  upon  him.  He  had  taken  two  or 
three  of  their  men  prisoners,  and  was 
using  them  as  guides.  Among  them 
was  a  Mr.  Burbick,  of  New  Lisbon,  who 
had  gone  out  at  the  head  of  a  small 
squad  of  mounted  men.  When  Morgan 
saw  that  his  advance  was  about  to  be 
cut  off  by  Major  Rue,  he  said  to  this 
Captain  Burbick:  "I  would  prefer  to 
surrender  to  the  militia  rather  than  to 
United  States  troops.  I  will  surrender 
to  you  if  you  will  agree  to  respect  pri 
vate  property  and  parole  the  officers 
and  men  as  soon  as  we  get  to  Cincin 
nati."  Burbick  replied  that  he  knew 
nothing  about  this  business.  Morgan 


said,  "  Give  me  an  answer,  yes  or  no." 
Burbick,  evidently  in  confusion,  said, 

"Yes." 


James  Burbick  sent  a  statement 
to  Governor  Tod,  in  which  lie  said 
that  he  was  not  a  prisoner  with  Mor 
gan,  but  that  he  was  guiding  him 
voluntarily  away  from  the  vicinity 
of  New  Lisbon,  after  Morgan  had 
agreed  not  to  pass  through  that 
town.  Burbick  reported  that  he 
accepted  Morgan's  surrender,  and 
started  for  the  rear  with  a  handker 
chief  tied  to  a  stick  to  intercept  the 
advancing  troops,  while  Lieutenant 
C.  D.  Maus,  a  prisoner  with  Mor 
gan,  was  sent  with  another  flag  of 
truce  across  the  fields. 


158       ADVENTUKES  AND  ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAE 
III.     THE  ESCAPE1 

BY   THOMAS   H.   HINES 

ON  the  31st  of  July  and  the  1st  of  August,  1863, 
General  John  H.  Morgan,  G-eneral  Basil  W.  Duke, 
and  sixty-eight  other  officers  of  Morgan's  command, 
were,  by  order  of  General  Burnside,  confined  in  the  Ohio 
State  Penitentiary  at  Columbus.  Before  entering  the 
main  prison  we  were  searched  and  relieved  of  our 
pocket-knives,  money,  and  of  all  other  articles  of  value, 
subjected  to  a  bath,  the  shaving  of  our  faces,  and  the 
cutting  of  our  hair.  We  were  placed  each  in  a  separate 
cell  in  the  first  and  second  tiers  on  the  south  side  in 
the  east  wing  of  the  prison.  General  Morgan  and 
General  Duke  were  on  the  second  range,  General  Mor 
gan  being  confined  in  the  last  cell  at  the  east  end, 
those  who  escaped  with  General  Morgan  having  their 
cells  in  the  first  range. 

From  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  until  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning  we  were  locked  into  our  cells,  with  no 
possible  means  of  communication  with  one  another; 
but  in  the  day,  between  these  hours,  we  were  permitted 
to  mingle  together  in  the  narrow  hall,  twelve  feet  wide 
and  one  hundred  and  sixty  long,  which  was  cut  off 
from  the  other  portion  of  the  building,  occupied  by  the 
convicts,  by  a  plank  partition,  in  one  end  of  which  was 
a  wooden  door.  At  each  end  of  the  hall,  and  within 
the  partitions,  was  an  armed  military  sentinel,  while 
the  civil  guards  of  the  prison  passed  at  irregular  inter- 

1  Condensed  from  "The  Bivouac-"'  of  June,  1885. 


A  ROMANCE  OF  MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  159 

vals  among  us,  and  very  frequently  the  warden  or  his 
deputy  came  through  in  order  to  see  that  we  were 
secure  and  not  violating  the  prison  rules.  We  were 
not  permitted  to  talk  with  or  in  any  way  to  commu 
nicate  with  the  convicts,  nor  were  we  permitted  to  see 
any  of  our  relatives  or  friends  that  might  come  from  a 
distance  to  see  us,  except  upon  the  written  order  of 
General  Burnside,  and  then  only  in  the  presence  of  a 
guard.  Our  correspondence  underwent  the  censor 
ship  of  the  warden,  we  receiving  and  he  sending  only 
such  as  met  his  approbation  ;  we  were  not  permitted  to 
have  newspapers,  or  to  receive  information  of  what 
was  going  on  in  the  outside  busy  world. 

Many  plans  for  escape,  ingenious  and  desperate, 
were  suggested,  discussed,  and  rejected  because 
deemed  impracticable.  Among  them  was  bribery  of 
the  guards.  This  was  thought  not  feasible  because  of 
the  double  set  of  guards,  military  and  civil,  who  were 
jealous  and  watchful  of  each  other,  so  that  it  was 
never  attempted,  although  we  could  have  commanded, 
through  our  friends  in  Kentucky  and  elsewhere,  an 
almost  unlimited  amount  of  money. 

On  a  morning  in  the  last  days  of  October  I  was 
rudely  treated,  without  cause,  by  the  deputy  warden. 
There  was  no  means  of  redress,  and  it  was  not  wise  to 
seek  relief  by  retort,  since  I  knew,  from  the  experience 
of  my  comrades,  that  it  would  result  in  my  confine 
ment  in  a  dark  dungeon,  with  bread  and  water  for 
diet.  I  retired  to  my  cell,  and  closed  the  door  with  the 
determination  that  I  would  neither  eat  nor  sleep  until 
I  had  devised  some  means  of  escape.  I  ate  nothing 
and  drank  nothing  during  the  day,  and  by  nine  o'clock 


160       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAK 

I  had  matured  the  plan  that  we  carried  into  execution. 
It  may  be  that  I  owed  something  to  the  fact  that 
I  had  just  completed  the  reading  of  Victor  Hugo's 
"Les  Miserables,"  containing  such  vivid  delineations 
of  the  wonderful  escapes  of  Jean  Valjean,  and  of  the 
subterranean  passages  of  the  city  of  Paris.  This  may 
have  led  me  to  the  line  of  thought  that  terminated  in 
the  plan  of  escape  adopted.  It  was  this:  I  had  ob 
served  that  the  floor  of  my  cell  was  upon  a  level  with 
the  ground  upon  the  outside  of  the  building,  which 
was  low  and  flat,  and  also  that  the  floor  of  the  cell  was 
perfectly  dry  and  free  from  mold.  It  occurred  to  me 
that,  as  the  rear  of  the  cell  was  to  a  great  extent  ex 
cluded  from  the  light  and  air,  this  dryness  and  free 
dom  from  mold  could  not  exist  unless  there  was 
underneath  something  in  the  nature  of  an  air-chamber 
to  prevent  the  dampness  from  rising  up  the  walls  and 
through  the  floor.  If  this  chamber  should  be  found  to 
exist,  and  could  be  reached,  a  tunnel  might  be  run 
through  the  foundations  into  the  yard,  from  which  we 
might  escape  by  scaling  the  outer  wall,  the  air-chamber 
furnishing  a  receptacle  for  the  earth  and  stone  to  be 
taken  out  in  running  the  tunnel.  The  next  morning, 
when  our  cells  were  unlocked,  and  we  were  permitted 
to  assemble  in  the  hall,  I  went  to  General  Morgan's 
cell,  he  having  been  for  several  days  quite  unwell, 
and  laid  before  him  the  plan  as  I  have  sketched  it. 
Its  feasibility  appeared  to  him  unquestioned,  and  to  it 
he  gave  a  hearty  and  unqualified  approval.  If,  then, 
our  supposition  was  correct  as  to  the  existence  of  the 
air-chamber  beneath  the  lower  range  of  cells,  a  limited 
number  of  those  occupying  that  range  could  escape, 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-EIDERS 


161 


and  only  a  limited  number,  because  the  greater  the 
number  the  longer  the  time  required  to  complete  the 
work,  and  the  greater  the  danger  of  discovery  while 
prosecuting  it,  in  making  our  way  over  the  outer  wall, 
and  in  escaping  afterward. 

With  these  considerations  in  view,  General  Morgan 
and  myself  agreed  upon  the  following  officers,  whose 
cells  were  nearest  the  point  at  which  the  tunnel  was  to 
begin,  to  join  us  in  the  enterprise :  Captain  J.  C.  Ben 
nett,  Captain  L.  D.  Hockersmith,  Captain  C. 
S.  Magee,  Captain  Ealph  Sheldon,  and  Cap 
tain  Samuel  B.  Taylor.  The  plan  was  then 
laid  before  these  gentlemen,  and  received 
their  approval.  It  was  agreed  that  work 
should  begin  in  my  cell,  and  continue 
from  there  until  completed.  In 
order,  however,  to  do  this 
without  detection,  it  was  nec 
essary  that  some  means  should 
be  found  to  prevent  the  daily 
inspection  of  that  cell,  it  being 
the  custom  of  the  deputy 
warden,  with  the  guards,  to 
visit  and  have  each  cell  swept 
every  morning.  This  end 
was  accomplished  by  my  ob 
taining  permission  from  the 
warden  to  furnish  a  broom 

and  sweep  my  own  cell.  For  a  few  mornings  thereafter 
the  deputy  warden  would  pass,  glance  into  my  cell, 
compliment  me  on  its  neatness,  and  go  on  to  the  in 
spection  of  the  other  cells.  After  a  few  days  my  cell 


CORRIDOR  AND  CELLS  IN  THE  EAST 
WING.    A,  CAPTAIN  HINES'S  CELL. 


162       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

was  allowed  to  go  without  any  inspection  whatever, 
and  then  we  were  ready  to  begin  work,  having  ob 
tained,  through  some  of  our  associates  who  had  been 
sent  to  the  hospital,  some  table-knives  made  of  flat 
steel  files.  In  my  cell,  as  in  the  others,  there  was  a 
narrow  iron  cot,  which  could  be  folded  and  propped 
up  to  the  cell  wall.  I  thought  the  work  could  be  com 
pleted  within  a  month. 

On  the  4th  of  November  work  was  begun  in  the 
back  part  of  my  cell,  under  the  rear  end  of  my  cot. 
We  cut  through  six  inches  of  cement,  and  took  out  six 
layers  of  brick  put  in  and  cemented  with  the  ends  up. 
Here  we  came  to  the  air-chamber,  as  I  had  calculated, 
and  found  it  six  feet  wide  by  four  feet  high,  and  run 
ning  the  entire  length  of  the  range  of  cells.  The  ce 
ment  and  brick  taken  out  in  effecting  an  entrance  to 
the  chamber  were  placed  in  my  bed-tick,  upon  which 
I  slept  during  the  progress  of  this  portion  of  the  work, 
after  which  the  material  was  removed  to  the  chamber. 
We  found  the  chamber  heavily  grated  at  the  end, 
against  which  a  large  quantity  of  coal  had  been 
heaped,  cutting  off  any  chance  of  exit  in  that  way. 
We  then  began  a  tunnel,  running  it  at  right  angles 
from  the  side  of  the  chamber,  and  almost  directly  be 
neath  my  cell.  We  cut  through  the  foundation  wall, 
five  feet  thick,  of  the  cell  block ;  through  twelve  feet 
of  grouting,  to  the  outer  wall  of  the  east  wing  of  the 
prison ;  through  this  wall,  six  feet  in  thickness ;  and 
four  feet  up  near  the  surface  of  the  yard,  in  an  un 
frequented  place  between  this  wing  and  the  female 
department  of  the  prison. 

During  the  progress  of  the  work,  in  which  we  were 


A  EOMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-KIDEKS 


163 


greatly  assisted  by  several  of  our  comrades  who  were 
not  to  go  out,  notably  among  them  Captain  Thomas 
W.  Bullitt  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  I  sat  at  the  en 
trance  to  my  cell  studiously  engaged  on  Gibbon's 
Eome  and  in  trying  to  master  French.  By  this  device 


EXTERIOR  OF  THE  PRISON.      B  — EXIT  FROM  TUNNEL. 

I  was  enabled  to  be  constantly  on  guard  without  be 
ing  suspected,  as  I  had  pursued  the  same  course 
during  the  whole  period  of  my  imprisonment.  Those 
who  did  the  work  were  relieved  every  hour.  This  was 
accomplished,  and  the  danger  of  the  guards  overhear 
ing  the  work  as  they  passed  obviated,  by  adopting  a 
system  of  signals,  which  consisted  in  giving  taps  on 
the  floor  over  the  chamber.  One  knock  was  to  sus 
pend  work,  two  to  proceed,  and  three  to  come  out. 
On  one  occasion,  by  oversight,  we  came  near  being 


104       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAB 

discovered.  The  prisoners  were  taken  out  to  their 
meals  by  ranges,  and  on  this  day  those  confined  in  the 
first  range  were  called  for  dinner  while  Captain  Hock- 
ersmith  was  in  the  tunnel.  The  deputy  warden,  on 
calling  the  roll,  missed  Hockersmith,  and  came  back 
to  inquire  for  him.  General  Morgan  engaged  the  at 
tention  of  the  warden  by  asking  his  opinion  as  to 
the  propriety  of  a  remonstrance  that  the  general  had 
prepared  to  be  sent  to  General  Burnside.  Flattered  by 
the  deference  shown  to  his  opinion  by  General  Morgan, 
the  warden  unwittingly  gave  Captain  Hockersmith 
time  to  get  out  and  fall  into  line  for  dinner.  While 
the  tunnel  was  being  run,  Colonel  R.  C.  Morgan,  a 
brother  of  General  Morgan,  made  a  rope,  in  links,  of 
bed-ticking,  thirty-five  feet  in  length,  and  from  the 
iron  poker  of  the  hall  stove  we  made  a  hook,  in  the 
nature  of  a  grappling-iron,  to  attach  to  the  end  of 
the  rope. 

The  work  was  now  complete  with  the  exception  of 
making  an  entrance  from  each  of  the  cells  of  those 
who  were  to  go  out.  This  could  be  done  with  safety 
only  by  working  from  the  chamber  upward,  as  the 
cells  were  daily  inspected.  The  difficulty  presented  in 
doing  this  was  the  fact  that  we  did  not  know  at  what 
point  to  begin  in  order  to  open  the  holes  in  the  cells  at 
the  proper  place.  To  accomplish  this  a  measurement 
was  necessary,  but  we  had  nothing  to  measure  with. 
Fortunately  the  deputy  warden  again  ignorantly  aided 
us.  I  got  into  a  discussion  with  him  as  to  the  length  of 
the  hall,  and  to  convince  me  of  my  error  he  sent  for  his 
measuring-line,  and  after  the  hall  had  been  measured, 
and  Ms  statement  verified,  General  Morgan  occupied 


A  ROMANCE   OF  MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  105 

his  attention,  while  I  took  the  line,  measured  the  dis 
tance  from  center  to  center  of  the  cells, —  all  being  of 
uniform  size, —  and  marked  it  upon  the  stick  used  in 
my  cell  for  propping  up  my  cot.  With  this  stick, 
measuring  from  the  middle  of  the  hole  in  my  cell,  the 
proper  distance  was  marked  off  in  the  chamber  for  the 
holes  in  the  other  cells.  The  chamber  was  quite  dark, 
and  light  being  necessary  for  the  work,  we  had  ob 
tained  candles  and  matches  through  our  sick  comrades 
in  the  hospital.  The  hole  in  my  cell  during  the  pro 
gress  of  the  work  was  kept  covered  with  a  large  hand- 
satchel  containing  my  change  of  clothing.  We  cut 
from  underneath  upward  until  there  was  only  a  thin 
crust  of  the  cement  left  in  each  of  the  cells.  Money 
was  necessary  to  pay  expenses  of  transportation  and 
for  other  contingencies  as  they  might  arise.  General 
Morgan  had  some  money  that  the  search  had  not  dis 
covered,  but  it  was  not  enough.  Shortly  after  we  began 
work  I  wrote  to  my  sister  in  Kentucky  a  letter,  which 
through  a  trusted  convict  I  sent  out  and  mailed, 
requesting  her  to  go  to  my  library  and  get  certain 
books,  and  in  the  back  of  a  designated  one,  which  she 
was  to  open  with  a  thin  knife,  place  a  certain  amount 
of  Federal  money,  repaste  the  back,  write  my  name 
across  the  inside  of  the  back  where  the  money  was 
concealed,  and  send  the  box  by  express.  In  due  course 
of  time  the  books  with  the  money  came  to  hand.  It 
only  remained  now  to  get  information  as  to  the  time 
of  the  running  of  the  trains  and  to  await  a  cloudy 
night,  as  it  was  then  full  moon.  Our  trusty  convict 
was  again  found  useful.  He  was  quite  an  old  man, 
called  Heavy,  had  been  in  the  penitentiary  for  many 


166       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAll 

years,  and  as  he  had  been  so  faithful,  and  his  time 
having  almost  expired,  he  was  permitted  to  go  on 
errands  for  the  officials  to  the  city.  I  gave  him  ten 
dollars  to  bring  us  a  daily  paper  and  six  ounces  of 
French  brandy.  Neither  he  nor  any  one  within  the 
prison  or  on  the  outside  had  any  intimation  of  our 
contemplated  escape. 

It  was  our  first  thought  to  make  our  way  to  the  Con 
federacy  by  way  of  Canada;  but,  on  inspecting  the 
time-table  in  the  paper,  it  was  seen  that  a  knowledge 
of  the  escape  would  necessarily  come  to  the  prison 
officials  before  we  could  reach  the  Canadian  border. 
There  was  nothing  left,  then,  but  to  take  the  train 
south,  which  we  found,  if  on  time,  would  reach  Cincin 
nati,  Ohio,  before  the  cells  were  opened  in  the  morning, 
at  which  time  we  expected  our  absence  to  be  discov 
ered.  One  thing  more  remained  to  be  done,  and  that 
was  to  ascertain  the  easiest  and  safest  place  at  which 
to  scale  the  outside  wall  of  the  prison.  The  windows 
opening  outward  were  so  high  that  we  could  not  see 
the  wall.  In  the  hall  was  a  ladder  resting  against  the 
wall,  fifty  feet  long,  that  had  been  used  for  sweeping 
down  the  wall.  A  view  from  the  top  of  the  ladder 
would  give  us  a  correct  idea  of  the  outside,  but  the  diffi 
culty  was  to  get  that  view  without  exciting  suspicion. 

Fortunately  the  warden  came  in  while  we  were  dis 
cussing  the  great  strength  and  activity  of  Captain 
Samuel  B.  Taylor,  who  was  very  small  of  stature, 
when  it  was  suggested  that  Taylor  could  go  hand  over 
hand  on  the  under  side  of  the  ladder  to  the  top,  and, 
with  a  moment's  rest,  return  in  the  same  way.  To  the 
warden  this  seemed  impossible,  and,  to  convince  him, 


A  EOMANCE    OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-EIDERS 


167 


WITHIN  THE   WOODEN  GATE. 


Taylor  was  permitted  to  make  the  trial,  which  he  did 
successfully.  At  the  top  of  the  ladder  he  rested  for 
a  minute  and  took  a  mental  photograph  of  the  wall. 
When  the  warden  had  left,  Taylor  communicated  the 
fa,ct  that  directly 
south  of  and  at 
almost  right  angles 
from  the  east  end  of 
the  block  in  which 
we  were  confined 
there  was  a  double 
gate  to  the  outer 
wall,  the  inside  one 
being  of  wooden  up 
rights  four  inches 
apart,  and  the  out 
side  one  as  solid  as 

the  wall ;  the  wooden  gate  being  supported  by  the 
wing  wall  of  the  female  department,  which  joined  to 
the  main  outer  wall. 

On  the  evening  of  the  27th  of  November  the  cloudy 
weather  so  anxiously  waited  for  came;  and  prior  to 
being  locked  in  our  cells  it  was  agreed  to  make  the 
attempt  at  escape  that  night.  Cell  No.  21,  next  to  my 
cell,  No.  20,  on  the  first  range,  was  occupied  by  Colonel 
R.  C.  Morgan,  a  brother  of  General  Morgan.  That  cell 
had  been  prepared  for  General  Morgan  by  opening  a 
hole  to  the  clrmiber,  and  when  the  hour  for  locking  up 
came,  General  Morgan  stepped  into  Cell  21,  and  Colonel 
Morgan  into  General  Morgan's  cell  in  the  second 
range.  The  guard  did  not  discover  the  exchange,  as 
General  Morgan  and  Colonel  Morgan  were  of  about  the 


168        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAE 

same  physical  proportions,  and  each  stood  with  his 
back  to  the  cell  door  when  it  was  being  locked. 

At  intervals  of  two  hours  every  night,  beginning  at 
eight,  the  guards  came  around  to  each  cell  and  passed 
a  light  through  the  grating  to  see  that  all  was  well 
with  the  prisoners.  The  approach  of  the  guard  was 
often  so  stealthily  made  that  a  knowledge  of  his  pres 
ence  was  first  had  by  seeing  him  at  the  door  of  the  cell. 
To  avoid  a  surprise  of  this  kind  we  sprinkled  fine  coal 
along  in  front  of  the  cells,  walking  upon  which  would 
give  us  warning.  By  a  singular  coincidence  that  might 
have  been  a  fatality,  on  the  day  we  had  determined 
upon  for  the  escape  General  Morgan  received  a  let 
ter  from  Lexington,  Kentucky,  begging  and  warning 
him  not  to  attempt  to  escape,  and  by  the  same  mail  I 
received  a  letter  from  a  member  of  my  family  saying 
that  it  was  rumored  and  generally  believed  at  home 
that  I  had  escaped.  Fortunately  these  letters  did  not 
put  the  officials  on  their  guard.  We  ascertained  from 
the  paper  we  had  procured  that  a  train  left  for  Cincin 
nati  at  1.15  A.  M.,  and  as  the  regular  time  for  the  guard 
to  make  his  round  of  the  cells  was  twelve  o'clock,  we 
arranged  to  descend  to  the  chamber  immediately  there 
after.  Captain  Taylor  was  to  descend  first,  and,  pass 
ing  under  each  cell,  notify  the  others.  General  Morgan 
had  been  permitted  to  keep  his  watch,  and  this  he  gave 
to  Taylor  that  he  might  not  mistake  the  time  to  go. 

At  the  appointed  hour  Taylor  gave  the  signal,  each 
of  us  arranged  his  cot  with  the  seat  in  his  cell  so  as  to 
represent  a  sleeping  prisoner,  and,  easily  breaking  the 
thin  layer  of  cement,  descended  to  the  chamber,  passed 
through  the  tunnel,  breaking  through  the  thin  stratum 


A  KOMANCE   OF   MOKGAN'S   EOUGH-KIDEIIS  169 

of  earth  at  the  end.  We  came  out  near  the  wall  of 
the  female  prison, — it  was  raining  slightly, — crawled 
by  the  side  of  the  wall  to  the  wooden  gate,  cast  our 
grappling-iron  attached  to  the  rope  over  the  gate, 
made  it  fast,  ascended  the  rope  to  the  top  of  the  gate, 
drew  up  the  rope,  and  made  our  way  by  the  wing  wall 
to  the  outside  wall,  where  we  entered  a  sentry-box 
and  divested  ourselves  of  our  soiled  outer  garments. 
In  the  daytime  sentinels  were  placed  on  this  wall,  but 
at  night  they  were  on  the  inside  of  the  walls  and  at 
the  main  entrance  to  the  prison.  On  the  top  of  the 
wall  we  found  a  cord  running  along  the  outer  edge 
and  connecting  with  a  bell  in  the  office  of  the  prison. 
This  cord  General  Morgan  cut  with  one  of  the  knives 
we  had  used  in  tunneling.  Before  leaving  my  cell  I 
wrote  and  left,  addressed  to  N.  Merion,  the  warden, 
the  following : 

CASTLE  MERION,  CELL  No.  20,  November  27,  1863.—  Commence 
ment,  November  4,  1863  j  conclusion,  November  24,  1863 ;  number 
of  hours  for  labor  per  day,  five ;  tools,  two  small  knives.  La 
patience  est  amere,  mais  son  fruit  est  doux.  By  order  of  my  six  honor 
able  Confederates.  THOMAS  H.  HINES,  Captain,  C.  S.  A. 

Having  removed  all  trace  of  soil  from  our  clothes 
and  persons,  we  attached  the  iron  hook  to  the  railing 
on  the  outer  edge  of  the  wall,  and  descended  to  the 
ground  within  sixty  yards  of  where  the  prison  guards 
were  sitting  round  a  fire  and  conversing.  Here  we 
separated,  General  Morgan  and  myself  going  to  the 
depot,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  prison, 
where  I  purchased  two  tickets  for  Cincinnati,  and 
entered  the  car  that  just  then  came  in.  General  Mor- 


170        ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

gan  took  a  seat  beside  a  Federal  major  in  uniform, 
and  I  sat  immediately  in  their  rear.  The  general 
entered  into  conversation  with  the  major,  who  was 
made  the  more  talkative  by  a  copious  drink  of  my 
French  brandy.  As  the  train  passed  near  the  prison- 
wall  where  we  had  descended,  the  major  remarked, 
"There  is  where  the  rebel  General  Morgan  and  his 
officers  are  put  for  safe-keeping."  The  general  replied, 
"I  hope  they  will  keep  him  as  safe  as  he  is  now." 
Our  train  passed  through  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  there, 
for  some  unknown  reason,  we  were  delayed  an  hour. 
This  rendered  it  extra  hazardous  to  go  to  the  depot 
in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  since  by  that  time  the  prison 
officials  would,  in  all  probability,  know  of  our  escape, 
and  telegraph  to  intercept  us.  In  fact,  they  did  tele 
graph  in  every  direction,  and  offered  a  reward  for 
our  recapture.  Instead,  then,  of  going  to  the  depot 
in  Cincinnati,  we  got  off,  while  the  train  was  moving 
slowly,  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  near  Ludlow 
Ferry,  on  the  Ohio  River.  Going  directly  to  the  ferry 
we  were  crossed  over  in  a  skiff  and  landed  immedi 
ately  in  front  of  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Ludlow.  We 
rang  the  door-bell,  a  servant  came,  and  General  Mor 
gan  wrote  upon  a  visiting-card,  "  General  Morgan  and 
Captain  Hines,  escaped."  We  were  warmly  received, 
took  a  cup  of  coffee  with  the  family,  were  furnished 
a  guide,  and  walked  some  three  miles  in  the  country, 
where  we  were  furnished  horses.  Thence  we  went 
through  Florence  to  Union,  in  Boone  County,  Ken 
tucky,  where  we  took  supper  with  Daniel  Piatt.  On 
making  ourselves  known  to  Mr.  Piatt,  who  had  two 
sons  in  our  command,  we  were  treated  with  the  most 


A  KOMANCE   OF   MOEGAN'S   KOUGH-RIDEKS  171 


OVER  THE  PRISON  WALL. 


cordial  hospitality  and  kindness  by  the  entire  family. 
We  there  met  Dr.  John  J.  Dulaney  of  Florence,  Ken 
tucky,  who  was  of  great  benefit  in  giving  us  informa 
tion  as  to  the  best  route.  That  night  we  went  to  Mr. 
Corbin's,  near  Union, — who  also  had  gallant  sons  in 
our  command, —  where  we  remained  concealed  until 


172        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

the  next  night,  and  where  friends  supplied  us  with 
fresh  horses  and  a  pair  of  pistols  each. 

On  the  evening  of  the  29th  of  November  we  left 
Union  with  a  voluntary  guide,  passed  through  the 
eastern  edge  of  Gallatin  County,  and  after  traveling 
all  night  spent  the  day  of  the  30th  at  the  house  of 
a  friend  on  the  Owen  County  line.  Passing  through 
New  Liberty,  in  Owen  County,  and  crossing  the  Ken 
tucky  River  at  the  ferry  on  the  road  to  New  Castle, 
in  Henry  County,  we  stopped  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Pollard  at  2  A.  M.,  December  1.  Our  guide  did  not 
know  the  people  nor  the  roads  farther  than  the  ferry, 
at  which  point  he  turned  back.  Not  knowing  the 
politics  of  Mr.  Pollard,  it  was  necessary  to  proceed 
with  caution.  On  reaching  his  house  we  aroused  him 
and  made  known  our  desire  to  spend  the  remainder 
of  the  night  with  him.  He  admitted  us  and  took  us 
into  the  family  room,  where  there  was  a  lamp  dimly 
burning  on  a  center-table.  On  the  light  being  turned 
up  I  discovered  a  Cincinnati  "Enquirer"  with  large 
displayed  head-lines,  announcing  the  escape  of  General 
Morgan,  Captain  Hines,  and  five  other  officers  from 
the  Ohio  penitentiary.  The  fact  that  this  newspaper 
was  taken  by  Mr.  Pollard  was  to  me  sufficient  evidence 
that  he  was  a  Southern  sympathizer.  Glancing  at  the 
paper,  I  looked  up  and  remarked,  "I  see  that  General 
Morgan,  Hines,  and  other  officers  have  escaped  from 
the  penitentiary."  He  responded,  "  Yes  ;  and  you  are 
Captain  Hines,  are  you  not!"  I  replied,  "Yes;  and 
what  is  your  name?"  "Pollard,"  he  answered.  "Allow 
me,  then,  to  introduce  General  Morgan."  I  found  that 
I  had  not  made  a  mistake. 


A   ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  173 

After  rest  and  a  late  breakfast  and  a  discussion  of 
the  situation,  it  was  deemed  inexpedient  to  remain 
during  the  day,  as  the  house  was  immediately  on  a 
public  highway,  besides  the  danger  of  such  unex 
plained  delay  exciting  the  suspicion  of  the  negroes  on 
the  place.  We  assumed  the  character  of  cattle-buyers, 
Mr.  Pollard  furnishing  us  with  cattle-whips  to  make 
the  assumption  plausible.  Our  first  objective  point 
was  the  residence  of  Judge  W.  8.  Pry  or,  in  the  out 
skirts  of  New  Castle.  After  dinner  Judge  Pryor  rode 
with  us  some  distance,  and  put  us  in  charge  of  a  guide, 
who  conducted  us  that  night  to  Major  Helm's,  near 
Shelbyville,  where  we  remained  during  the  day  of  the 
2d,  and  were  there  joined  by  four  of  our  command 
in  citizen's  dress.  That  night  we  passed  through 
Taylorsville,  and  stopped  on  the  morning  of  the  3d 
near  Bardstown. 

The  night  of  the  4th  we  resumed  our  journey,  and 
stopped  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  at  Mr.  McCormack's 
at  Boiling  Fork  Creek,  in  Nelson  County,  thence 
through  Taylor,  Green  (passing  near  Greensburg), 
Adair,  and  Cumberland  counties,  crossing  Cumberland 
River  some  nine  miles  below  Burkes ville.  We  crossed 
the  Cumberland,  which  was  quite  high,  by  swimming 
our  horses  by  the  side  of  a  canoe.  Near  the  place  of 
crossing,  on  the  south  side,  we  stopped  overnight  with 
a  private  in  Colonel  R.  T.  Jacob's  Federal  cavalry, 
passing  ourselves  as  citizens  on  the  lookout  for  stolen 
horses.  Next  morning,  in  approaching  the  road  from 
Burkesville  to  Sparta,  Tennessee,  we  came  out  of  a 
byway  immediately  in  thn  roar  of  and  some  hundred 
yards  from  a  dwelling  fronting  on  the  Burkesville- 


174        ADVENTUKES  AND  ESCAPES   IN   THE  CIVIL  WAR 

Sparta  road,  and  screening  us  from  view  on  the 
Burkesville  end.  As  we  emerged  from  the  woodland 
a  woman  appeared  at  the  back  door  of  the  dwelling 
and  motioned  us  back.  We  withdrew  from  view,  but 
kept  in  sight  of  the  door  from  which  the  signal  to 
retire  was  given,  when  after  a  few  minutes  the  woman 
again  appeared  and  signaled  us  to  come  forward.  She 
informed  us  that  a  body  of  Federal  cavalry  had  just 
passed,  going  in  the  direction  of  Burkesville,  and  that 
the  officer  in  command  informed  her  that  he  was  try 
ing  to  intercept  General  Morgan.  We  followed  the 
Burkesville  road  something  like  a  mile,  and  in  sight 
of  the  rear-guard.  We  crossed  Obey's  River  near  the 
mouth  of  Wolf,  and  halted  for  two  days  in  the  hills  of 
Overton  County,  where  we  came  upon  forty  of  our 
men,  who  had  been  separated  from  the  force  on  the 
expedition  into  Indiana  and  Ohio.  These  men  were 
placed  under  my  command,  and  thence  we  moved  di 
rectly  toward  the  Tennessee  River,  striking  it  about 
fifteen  miles  below  Kingston,  at  Bridges'®  Ferry,  De 
cember  13.  There  was  no  boat  to  be  used  in  crossing, 
and  the  river  was  very  high  and  angry,  and  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  wide.  We  obtained  an  ax 
from  a  house  near  by,  and  proceeded  to  split  logs  and 
make  a  raft  on  which  to  cross,  and  by  which  to  swim 
our  horses.  We  had  learned  that  two  miles  and  a  half 
below  us  was  a  Federal  cavalry  camp.  This  stimulated 
us  to  the  utmost,  but  notwithstanding  our  greatest  ef 
forts  we  were  three  hours  in  crossing  over  five  horses 
and  twenty-five  men.  At  this  juncture  the  enemy 
appeared  opposite,  and  began  to  fire  on  our  men. 
Here  General  Morgan  gave  characteristic  evidence 


A   ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS 


175 


of  devotion  to  his  men.     When  the  firing  began  he 
insisted   on   staying  with   the   dismounted    men   and 


taking  their  chances,  and  was  dissuaded  only  by  my 
earnest  appeal  and  representation  that  such  a  course 
would  endanger  the  men  as  well  as  ourselves.  The 


176        AD VEN  TUBES    AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

men,  by  scattering  in  the  mountains,  did  ultimately 
make  their  way  to  the  Confederacy. 

Greneral  Morgan,  myself,  and  the  four  mounted  men 
crossed  over  a  spur  of  the  mountains  and  descended 
by  a  bridle-path  to  a  ravine  or  gulch  upon  the  op 
posite  side,  and  halted  in  some  thick  underbrush  about 
ten  steps  from  a  path  passing  along  the  ravine.  Not 
knowing  the  country,  it  was  necessary  to  have  infor 
mation  or  a  guide,  and  observing  a  log  cabin  about 
a  hundred  yards  up  the  ravine,  I  rode  there  to  get 
directions,  leaving  Greneral  Morgan  and  the  others  on 
their  horses  near  the  path.  I  found  at  the  house  a 
woman  and  some  children.  She  could  not  direct  me 
over  the  other  spur  of  the  mountain,  but  consented 
that  her  ten-year-old  son  might  go  with  me  and  show 
the  way.  He  mounted  behind  me,  and  by  the  time 
he  was  seated  I  heard  the  clatter  of  hoofs  down  the 
ravine,  and,  looking,  I  saw  a  body  of  about  seventy- 
five  cavalry  coming  directly  toward  me,  and  passing 
within  ten  steps  of  where  the  general  and  his  men 
were  sitting  on  their  horses.  I  saw  that  my  own 
escape  was  doubtful,  and  that  any  halt  or  delay  of  the 
cavalry  would  certainly  result  in  the  discovery  and 
capture  of  General  Morgan.  I  lifted  the  boy  from 
behind  me  and  dashed  to  the  head  of  the  column, 
exclaiming,  "  Hurry  up,  Major,  or  the  rebels  will 
escape ! n  He  responded,  "  Who  are  you  ? "  I  answered, 
"  I  belong  to  the  home-guard  company  in  the  bend : 
hurry,  or  they  are  gone."  We  dashed  on,  I  riding  by 
the  major  at  the  head  of  the  column  about  half  a 
mile,  when  we  came  to  where  a  dry  branch  crossed 
the  road,  and,  as  it  had  been  raining  that  day,  it  was 


A   ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-EIDERS  177 

easily  seen  from  the  soil  that  had  washed  down  from 
the  side  of  the  mountain  that  no  one  had  passed  there 
since  the  rain.  Seeing  this,  the  command  was  halted, 
and  the  major  again  demanded  to  know  who  I  was. 
I  replied  that  I  was  a  member  of  General  Morgan's 

command.    "  Yes,   you !    You  have  led  me  off 

from  Morgan;  I  have  a  notion  to  hang  you  for  it." 
"No,  that  was  not  General  Morgan.  I  have  served 
under  him  two  years  arid  know  him  well,  and  have 
no  object  in  deceiving  you;  for  if  it  was  Morgan,  he 
is  now  safe."  "  You  lie,  for  he  was  recognized  at  the 
house  where  you  got  the  ax.  I  would  not  have  missed 
getting  him  for  ten  thousand  dollars.  It  would  have 
been  a  brigadier's  commission  to  me.  I  will  hang  you 
for  it."  Up  to  this  time  I  had  taken  the  situation 
smilingly  and  pleasantly,  because  I  did  not  apprehend 
violence;  but  the  officer,  livid  with  rage  from  disap 
pointment,  directed  one  of  his  men  to  take  the  halter 
from  his  horse  and  hang  me  to  a  designated  limb  of 
a  tree.  The  halter  was  adjusted  around  my  neck, 
and  thrown  over  the  limb.  Seeing  that  the  officer 
was  desperately  in  earnest,  I  said,  "  Major,  before  you 
perform  this  operation,  allow  me  to  make  a  sugges 
tion."  "  Be  quick  about  it,  then."  "  Suppose  that 
was  General  Morgan,  as  you  insist,  and  I  have  led 
you  astray,  as  you  insist,  would  n't  I,  being  a  member 
of  his  command,  deserve  to  be  hung  if  I  had  not 
done  what  you  charge  me  with?"  He  dropped  his 
head  for  a  moment,  looked  up  with  a  more  pleasant 
expression,  and  said,  "  Boys,  he  is  right ;  let  him 
alone." 
I  was  placed  under  guard  of  two  soldiers  and  sent 


178        ADVENTURES   AND    ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR 

across   the   river  to  camp,  while   the  officer  in   com 
mand  took  his  men  over  the  mountain  in  search  of 


General  Morgan,  who  succeeded  in  making  good  his 
escape.  The  next  evening  the  major  returned  with 
his  command  from  his  unsuccessful  pursuit.  He 


A   ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  179 

questioned  me  closely,  wanting  to  know  my  name, 
and  if  I  was  a  private  in  the  command,  as  I  had 
stated  to  him  at  the  time  of  my  capture.  Remember 
ing  that  in  prison  the  underclothing  of  Captain  Bullitt 
had  been  exchanged  for  mine,  and  that  I  then  had 
on  his  with  his  name  in  ink,  I  assumed  the  name 
of  Bullitt, 

On  the  evening  of  the  second  day  in  this  camp  the 
major  invited  me  to  go  with  him  and  take  supper  at 
the  house  of  a  Unionist  half  a  mile  away.  We  spent 
the  evening  with  the  family  until  nine  o'clock,  when 
the  major  suggested  that  we  should  go  back  to  camp. 
On  reaching  the  front  gate,  twenty  steps  from  the 
front  veranda,  he  found  that  he  had  left  his  shawl  in 
the  house,  and  returned  to  get  it,  requesting  me  to 
await  his  return.  A  young  lady  of  the  family  was 
standing  in  the  door,  and  when  he  went  in  to  get  the 
shawl,  she  closed  the  door.  I  was  then  perfectly  free, 
but  I  could  not  get  my  consent  to  go.  For  a  moment 
of  time  while  thus  at  liberty  I  suffered  intensely  in  the 
effort  to  determine  what  was  the  proper  thing  to  do. 
Upon  the  one  hand  was  the  tempting  offer  of  freedom, 
that  was  very  sweet  to  me  after  so  many  months  of 
close  confinement ;  while  on  the  other  hand  was  the 
fact  that  the  officer  had  treated  me  with  great  kind 
ness,  more  as  a  comrade  than  as  a  prisoner,  that  the 
acceptance  of  his  hospitality  was  a  tacit  parole  and  my 
escape  would  involve  him  in  trouble.  I  remained 
until  his  return.  He  was  greatly  agitated,  evidently 
realizing  for  the  first  time  the  extent  of  his  indiscretion, 
and  surprised  undoubtedly  at  finding  me  quietly  await 
ing  him.  I  had  determined  not  to  return  to  prison, 


180       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

but  rather  than  break  faith  I  awaited  some  other  occa 
sion  for  escape.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  something 
excited  suspicion  of  me;  for  the  next  morning,  while 
lying  in  the  tent  apparently  asleep,  I  heard  the  officer 
direct  the  sergeant  to  detail  ten  men  and  guard  me  to 
Kingston,  and  he  said  to  the  sergeant,  "  Put  him  on 
the  meanest  horse  you  have  and  be  watchful  or  he 
will  escape."  I  was  taken  to  Kingston  and  placed  in 
jail,  and  there  met  three  of  our  party  who  had  been 
captured  on  the  north  side  of  the  Tennessee  River  at 
the  time  we  attempted  to  cross.  They  were  R.  C. 

Church,  William  Church,  and Smith.    After  two 

days'  confinement  there,  we  were  sent  under  guard  of 
twelve  soldiers  to  the  camp  of  the  3d  Kentucky  Federal 
Infantry,  under  command  of  Colonel  Henry  C.  Dunlap. 
The  camp  was  opposite  the  town  of  London,  and  was 
prepared  for  winter  quarters.  The  large  forest  trees 
had  been  felled  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile  around  the 
camp,  and  log  huts  built  in  regular  lines  for  the  occu 
pation  of  the  troops.  We  were  placed  in  one  of  these 
huts  with  three  guards  on  the  inside,  while  the  guards 
who  delivered  us  there  were  located  around  a  camp- 
fire  some  ten  steps  in  front  of  the  only  door  to  our  hut, 
and  around  the  whole  encampment  was  the  regular 
camp  guard.  The  next  day,  as  we  had  learned,  we 
were  to  be  sent  to  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  which  was 
then  General  Burnside's  headquarters;  and  as  I  knew 
I  would  there  be  recognized,  and,  on  account  of  my 
previous  escape,  that  my  chances  for  freedom  would  be 
reduced  to  a  minimum,  we  determined  to  escape  that 
night. 

It  was  perfectly  clear,  the  moon  about  full,  making 
the  camp  almost  as  light  as  day;  and  as  the  moon  did 


A  ROMANCE   OF   MORGAN'S   ROUGH-RIDERS  181 

not  go  down  until  a  short  time  before  daylight,  we  con 
cluded  to  await  its  setting.  The  door  of  the  cabin  was 
fastened  by  a  latch  on  the  inside.  The  night  was  cold. 
We  had  only  pretended  to  sleep,  awaiting  our  oppor 
tunity.  When  the  moon  was  down  we  arose,  one  after 
another,  from  our  couches,  and  went  to  the  fire  to  warm 
us.  We  engaged  the  guards  in  pleasant  conversation, 
detailing  incidents  of  the  war.  I  stood  with  my  right 
next  the  door,  facing  the  fire  and  the  three  guards,  and 
my  comrades  standing  immediately  on  my  left.  While 
narrating  some  incident  in  which  the  guards  were  ab 
sorbed,  I  placed  my  right  hand  upon  the  latch  of  the 
door,  with  a  signal  to  the  other  prisoners,  and,  without 
breaking  the  thread  of  the  narrative,  bade  the  guards 
good  night,  threw  the  door  open,  ran  through  the  guards 
in  front  of  the  door,  passed  the  sentinel  at  the  camp 
limits,  and  followed  the  road  we  had  been  brought  in 
to  the  mountains.  The  guards  in  front  of  the  door 
fired  upon  me,  as  did  the  sentinel  on  his  beat,  the  last 
shot  being  so  close  to  me  that  I  felt  the  fire  from  the 
gun.  Unfortunately  and  unwittingly  I  threw  the  door 
open  with  such  force  that  it  rebounded  and  caught  my 
comrades  on  the  inside.  The  guards  assaulted  them 
and  attempted  to  bayonet  them,  but  they  grappled, 
overpowered,  and  disarmed  the  guards,  and  made 
terms  with  them  before  they  would  let  them  up.  All 
three  of  these  prisoners,  by  great  daring,  escaped 
before  they  were  taken  North  to  prison. 

In  running  from  the  camp  to  the  mountains  I  passed 
two  sentinel  fires,  and  was  pursued  some  distance  at 
the  point  of  the  bayonet  of  the  soldier  who  had  last 
fired  at  me.  All  was  hurry  and  confusion  in  the  camp. 
The  horses  were  bridled,  saddled,  and  mounted,  and 


182        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN  THE   CIVIL  WAH 

rapidly  ridden  out  on  the  road  I  had  taken ;  but  by  the 
time  the  pursuers  reached  the  timber  I  was  high  up 
the  mountain  side,  and  complacently  watched  them  as 
they  hurried  by.  As  I  ran  from  my  prison-house  I 
fixed  my  eye  upon  Venus,  the  morning  star,  as  my 
guide,  and  traveled  until  daylight,  when  I  reached  the 
summit  of  the  mountain,  where  I  found  a  sedge-grass 
field  of  about  twenty  acres,  in  the  middle  of  which  I 
lay  down  on  the  frozen  ground  and  remained  until  the 
sun  had  gone  down  and  darkness  was  gathering.  Dur 
ing  the  day  the  soldiers  in  search  of  me  frequently 
passed  within  thirty  steps,  so  close  that  I  could  hear 
their  conjectures  as  to  where  I  was  most  likely  to  be 
found.  I  remained  so  long  in  one  position  that  I 
thawed  into  the  frozen  earth ;  but  the  cool  of  the  even 
ing  coming  on,  the  soil  around  me  froze  again,  and  I 
had  some  difficulty  in  releasing  myself. 

As  it  grew  dark  I  descended  the  mountain,  and 
cautiously  approached  a  humble  dwelling.  Seeing  no 
one  but  a  woman  and  some  children,  I  entered  and 
asked  for  supper.  While  my  supper  was  being  pre 
pared,  no  little  to  my  disappointment,  the  husband, 
a  strapping,  manly-looking  fellow,  with  his  rifle  on 
his  shoulder,  walked  in.  I  had  already  assumed  a 
character,  and  that  was  as  agent  to  purchase  horses 
for  the  Federal  Government.  I  had  come  down  that 
evening  on  the  train  from  Knoxville,  and  was  anxious 
to  get  a  canoe  and  some  one  to  paddle  me  down  to 
Kingston,  where  I  had  an  engagement  for  the  next 
day  to  meet  some  gentlemen  who  were  to  have 
horses  there,  by  agreement  with  me,  for  sale.  Could 
the  gentleman  tell  me  where  I  could  get  a  canoe  and 
some  one  to  go  with  me?  He  said  the  rebels  were 


A  KOMANCE   OF   MOHGAK's  HOUGH-RIDERS  183 

so  annoying  that  all  boats  and  canoes  had  been  de 
stroyed  to  keep  them  from  crossing.  He  knew  of 
but  one  canoe,  owned  by  a  good  Union  man  some 
two  miles  down  the  river.  Would  he  be  kind  enough 
to  show  me  the  way  there,  that  I  might  get  an  early 
start  and  keep  my  engagement? 

After  supper  my  hospitable  entertainer  walked  with 
me  to  the  residence  of  the  owner  of  the  canoe.  The 
family  had  retired,  and  when  the  owner  of  the  prem 
ises  came  out,  there  came  with  him  a  Federal  soldier 
who  was  staying  overnight  with  him.  This  was  not 
encouraging.  After  making  my  business  known  and 
offering  large  compensation,  the  owner  of  the  canoe 
agreed  to  start  with  me  by  daylight.  During  my 
walk  down  there,  my  guide  had  mentioned  that  a 
certain  person  living  opposite  the  place  where  the 
canoe  was  owned  had  several  horses  that  he  would 
like  to  sell.  I  suggested  that,  in  order  to  save  time 
and  get  as  early  a  start  as  possible  for  Kingston,  the 
canoe-owner  should  take  me  over  to  see  to  the  pur 
chase  of  these  horses  that  night.  The  river  was  high 
and  dangerous  to  cross  at  night,  but  by  promises 
of  compensation  I  was  taken  over  and  landed  some 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  house.  With  an  injunc 
tion  to  await  me,  when  the  canoe  landed  I  started 
toward  the  house ;  but  when  out  of  sight  I  changed 
my  course  and  took  to  the  mountains. 

For  eight  days  I  traveled  by  night,  taking  my 
course  by  the  stars,  lying  up  in  the  mountains  by 
day,  and  getting  food  early  in  the  evening  wherever 
I  could  find  a  place  where  there  were  no  men.  On 
the  27th  of  December  I  reached  the  Confederate  lines 
near  Dalton,  Georgia. 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY  PRISON 

BY  FKANK   E.   MOHAN 

A  MONO  all  the  thrilling  incidents  in  the  history  of 
JL\.  Libby  Prison,  none  exceeds  in  interest  the  cele 
brated  tunnel  escape  which  occurred  on  the  night  of 
February  9,  1864.  I  was  one  of  the  109  Union  officers 
who  passed  through  the  tunnel,  and  one  of  the  ill-fated 
48  that  were  retaken.  I  and  two  companions  —  Lieu 
tenant  Charles  H.  Morgan  of  the  21st  "Wisconsin 
regiment,  who  has  since  served  several  terms  in  Con 
gress  from  Missouri,  and  Lieutenant  William  L.  Watson 
of  the  same  company  and  regiment — when  recaptured 
by  the  Confederate  cavalry  were  in  sight  of  the  Union 
picket  posts.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  no  accurate 
and  complete  account  has  ever  been  given  to  the  pub 
lic  of  this,  the  most  ingenious  and  daring  escape  made 
on  either  side  during  the  civil  war.  Twelve  of  the 
party  of  fifteen  who  dug  the  tunnel  are  still  living, 
including  their  leader. 

Thomas  E.  Eose,  colonel  of  the  77th  Pennsylva 
nia  Volunteers,  the  engineer  and  leader  in  the  plot 
throughout, — now  a  captain  in  the  16th  United  States 
Infantry, —  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  September  20,  1863.  On  his  way  to  Eichmond 
he  escaped  from  his  guards  at  Weldon,  N.  C.,  but,  after 
a  day's  wandering  about  the  pine  forests  with  a  broken 

184 


COLONEL  ROSE'S  TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PRISON  185 

foot,  was  retaken  by  a  detachment  of  Confederate  cav 
alry  and  sent  to  Libby  Prison,  Kichmond,  where  he 
arrived  October  1,  1863. 

Libby  Prison  fronts  on  Carey  street,  Kichmond,  and 
stands  upon  a  hill  which  descends  abruptly  to  the 


COLONEL  THOMAS  E.   ROSE. 


canal,  from  which  its  southern  wall  is  divided  only  by 
a  street,  and  having  a  vacant  lot  on  the  east.  The 
building  was  wholly  detached,  making  it  a  compar 
atively  easy  matter  to  guard  the  prison  securely  with 
a  small  force  and  keep  every  door  and  window  in  full 
view  from  without.  As  an  additional  measure  of 
safety,  prisoners  were  not  allowed  on  the  ground-floor, 
except  that  in  the  daytime  they  were  permitted  to  use 


186       ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAB 

the  first  floor  of  the  middle  section  for  a  cook-room. 
The  interior  embraced  nine  large  warehouse-rooms, 
105  x  45,  with  eight  feet  from  each  floor  to  ceiling, 
except  the  upper  floor,  which  gave  more  room,  owing 
to  the  pitch  of  the  gable  roof.  The  abrupt  slant  of  the 
hill  gives  the  building  an  additional  story  on  the  south 
side.  The  whole  building  really  embraces  three  sec 
tions,  and  these  were  originally  separated  by  heavy 
blank  walls.  The  Confederates  cut  doors  through  the 
walls  of  the  two  upper  floors,  which  comprised  the 
prisoners'  quarters,  and  they  were  thus  permitted  to 
mingle  freely  with  each,  other ;  but  there  was  no  com 
munication  whatever  between  the  three  large  rooms 
on  the  first  floor.  Beneath  these  floors  were  three 
cellars  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  rooms  above 
them,  and,  like  them,  divided  from  each  other  by 
massive  blank  walls.  For  ready  comprehension,  let 
these  be  designated  the  east,  middle,  and  west  cel 
lars.  Except  in  the  lofts  known  as  "  Streight's  room  " 
and  "Milroy's  room,"  which  were  occupied  by  the 
earliest  inmates  of  Libby  in  1863,  there  was  no  fur 
niture  in  the  building,  and  only  a  few  of  the  early 
comers  possessed  such  a  luxury  as  an  old  army  blanket 
or  a  knife,  cup,  and  tin  plate.  As  a  rule,  the  prisoner, 
by  the  time  he  reached  Libby,  found  himself  devoid 
of  earthly  goods  save  the  meager  and  dust-begrimed 
summer  garb  in  which  he  had  made  his  unlucky 
campaign. 

At  night  the  six  large  lofts  presented  strange 
war-pictures,  over  which  a  single  tallow  candle  wept 
copious  and  greasy  tears  that  ran  down  over  the  petri 
fied  loaf  of  corn-broad,  Borden's  condensed-milk  can, 


COLONEL  ROSE'S  TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PRISON 


18' 


or  bottle  in  which  it  was  set.  The  candle  flickered 
on  until  "taps,"  when  the  guards,  with  unconscious 
irony  shouted,  "Lights  out!" — at  which  signal  it 
usually  disappeared  amid  a  shower  of  boots  and  such 
other  missiles  as  were  at  hand.  The  sleepers  covered 


the  six  floors,  lying  in  ranks,  head  to  head  and  foot  to 
foot,  like  prostrate  lines  of  battle.  For  the  general 
good,  and  to  preserve  something  like  military  preci 
sion,  these  ranks  (especially  when  cold  weather  com 
pelled  them  to  lie  close  for  better  warmth)  were 
subdivided  into  convenient  squads  under  charge  of  a 
"captain,"  who  was  invested  with  authority  to  see 
that  every  man  lay  "  spoon  fashion." 

No  consideration  of  personal  convenience  was  per 
mitted  to  interfere  with  the  general  comfort  of  the 
"  squad."  Thus,  when  the  hard  floor  could  no  longer  be 
endured  on  the  right  side, — especially  by  the  thin  men, 
-the  captain  gave  the  command,  "Attention,  Squad 
Number  Four !  Prepare  to  spoon !  One — two — spoon ! " 
And  the  whole  squad  flopped  over  on  the  left  side. 


188        ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

The  first  floor  on  the  west  of  the  building  was  used 
by  the  Confederates  as  an  office  and  for  sleeping-quar 
ters  for  the  prison  officials,  and  a  stairway  guarded  by 
sentinels  led  from  this  to  Milroy's  room  just  above 
it.  As  before  explained,  the  middle  room  was  shut  off 
from  the  office  by  a  heavy  blank  wall.  This  room, 
known  as  the  "  kitchen,"  had  two  stoves  in  it,  one  of 
which  stood  about  ten  feet  from  the  heavy  door  that 
opened  on  Carey  street  sidewalk,  and  behind  the  door 
was  a  fireplace.  The  room  contained  also  several  long 
pine  tables  with  permanent  seats  attached,  such  as 
may  be  commonly  seen  at  picnic  grounds.  The  floor 
was  constantly  inundated  here  by  several  defective 
and  overworked  water-faucets  and  a  leaky  trough. 

A  stairway  without  banisters  led  up  on  the  south 
west  end  of  the  floor,  above  which  was  a  room  known 
as  the  "  Chickamauga  room,"  being  chiefly  occupied  by 
Chickamauga  prisoners.  The  sentinel  who  had  formerly 
been  placed  at  this  stairway  at  night,  to  prevent  the 
prisoners  from  entering  the  kitchen,  had  been  with 
drawn  when,  in  the  fall  of  1863,  the  horrible  condition 
of  the  floor  made  it  untenable  for  sleeping  purposes. 

The  uses  to  which  the  large  ground-floor  room  east  of 
the  kitchen  was  put  varied  during  the  first  two  years 
of  the  war;  but  early  in  October  of  1863,  and  there 
after,  it  was  permanently  used  and  known  as  the  hos 
pital,  and  it  contained  a  large  number  of  cots,  which 
were  never  unoccupied.  An  apartment  had  been  made 
at  the  north  or  front  of  the  room,  which  served  as  a 
doctor's  office  and  laboratory.  Like  those  adjoining  it 
on  the  west,  this  room  had  a  large  door  opening  on 
Carey  street,  which  was  heavily  bolted  and  guarded  on 
the  outside. 


COLONEL   KOSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY  PRISON 


189 


The  arrival  of  the  Chickamauga  prisoners  greatly 
crowded  the  upper  floors,  and  compelled  the  Confed- 


erates  to  board  up  a  small  portion  of  the  east  cellar 
at  its  southeast  corner  as  an  additional  cook-room, 
several  large  caldrons  having  been  set  in  a  rudely  built 


190       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAK 

furnace;  so,  for  a  short  period,  the  prisoners  were 
allowed  down  there  in  the  daytime  to  cook.  A  stair 
way  led  from  this  cellar  to  the  room  above,  which 
subsequently  became  the  hospital. 

Such,  in  brief,  was  the  condition  of  things  when 
Colonel  Rose  arrived  at  the  prison.  From  the  hour  of 
his  coming,  a  means  of  escape  became  his  constant 
and  eager  study ;  and,  with  this  purpose  in  view,  he 
made  a  careful  and  minute  survey  of  the  entire 
premises. 

From  the  windows  of  the  upper  east  or  "  Gettysburg 
room  "  he  could  look  across  the  vacant  lot  on  the  east 
and  get  a  glimpse  of  the  yard  between  two  adjacent 
buildings  which  faced  the  canal  and  Carey  street  re 
spectively,  and  he  estimated  the  intervening  space  at 
about  seventy  feet.  From  the  south  windows  he 
looked  out  across  a  street  upon  the  canal  and  James 
Eiver,  running  parallel  with  each  other,  the  two 
streams  at  this  point  being  separated  by  a  low  and 
narrow  strip  of  land.  This  strip  periodically  disap 
peared  when  protracted  seasons  of  heavy  rain  came,  or 
when  spring  floods  so  rapidly  swelled  the  river  that 
the  latter  invaded  the  cellars  of  Libby.  At  such  times 
it  was  common  to  see  enormous  swarms  of  rats  come 
out  from  the  lower  doors  and  windows  of  the  prison 
and  make  head  for  dry  land  in  swimming  platoons 
amid  the  cheers  of  the  prisoners  in  the  upper  windows. 
On  one  or  two  occasions  Rose  observed  workmen  de 
scending  from  the  middle  of  the  south-side  street  into 
a  sewer  running  through  its  center,  and  concluded 
that  this  sewer  must  have  various  openings  to  the 
canal  both  to  the  east  and  west  of  the  prison. 


COLONEL  HOSE'S  TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PRISON  191 

The  north  portion  of  the  cellar  contained  a  large 
quantity  of  loose  packing-straw,  covering  the  floor  to 
an  average  depth  of  two  feet ;  and  this  straw  afforded 


MAJOR  A.   G.   HAMILTON. 


shelter,  especially  at  night,  for  a  large  colony  of  rats, 
which  gave  the  place  the  name  of  "  Rat  Hell." 

In  one  afternoon's  inspection  of  this  dark  end,  Rose 
suddenly  encountered  a  fellow-prisoner,  Major  A.  G-. 
Hamilton,  of  the  12th  Kentucky  Cavalry.  A  confiding 
friendship  followed,  and  the  two  men  entered  at  once 
upon  the  plan  of  gaining  their  liberty.  They  agreed 
that  the  most  feasible  scheme  was  a  tunnel,  to  bogin 
in  the  rear  of  the  little  kitchen-apartment  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  Rat  Hell.  Without  more  edo 


192       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

they  secured  a  broken  shovel   and  two   case-knives 
and  began  operations. 

Within  a  few  days  the  Confederates  decided  upon 
certain  changes  in  the  prison  for  the  greater  security 
of  their  captives.  A  week  afterward  the  cook-room 
was  abandoned,  the  stairway  nailed  up,  the  prisoners 
sent  to  the  upper  floors,  and  all  communication  with 
the  east  cellar  was  cut  off.  This  was  a  sore  misfortune, 
for  this  apartment  was  the  only  possible  base  of  suc 
cessful  tunnel  operations.  Colonel  Rose  now  began  to 
study  other  practicable  means  of  escape,  and  spent 
night  after  night  examining  the  posts  and  watching  the 
movements  of  the  sentinels  on  the  four  sides  of  Libby. 
One  very  dark  night,  during  a  howling  storm,  Rose 
again  unexpectedly  met  Hamilton  in  a  place  where 
no  prisoner  could  reasonably  be  looked  for  at  such 
an  hour.  For  an  instant  the  impenetrable  darkness 
made  it  impossible  for  either  to  determine  whether  he 
had  met  a  friend  or  foe:  neither  had  a  weapon,  yet  each 
involuntarily  felt  for  one,  and  each  made  ready  to 
spring  at  the  other's  throat,  when  a  flash  of  lightning 
revealed  their  identity.  The  two  men  had  availed 
themselves  of  the  darkness  of  the  night  and  the  roar 
of  the  storm  to  attempt  an  escape  from  a  window  of 
the  upper  west  room  to  a  platform  that  ran  along  the 
west  outer  wall  of  the  prison,  from  which  they  hoped 
to  reach  the  ground  and  elude  the  sentinels,  whom 
they  conjectured  would  be  crouched  in  the  shelter  of 
some  doorway  or  other  partial  refuge  that  might  be 
available;  but  so  vivid  and  frequent  were  the  lightning 
flashes  that  the  attempt  was  seen  to  be  extremely 
hazardous. 


COLONEL  ROSE'S   TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PEISON  193 

Rose  now  spoke  of  the  entrance  from  the  south-side 
street  to  the  middle  cellar,  having  frequently  noticed 
the  entrance  and  exit  of  workmen  at  that  point,  and 
expressed  his  belief  that  if  an  entrance  could  be 
effected  to  this  cellar  it  would  afford  them  the  only 
chance  of  slipping  past  the  sentinels. 

He  hunted  up  a  bit  of  pine-wood  which  he  whittled 
into  a  sort  of  wedge,  and  the  two  men  went  down  into 
the  dark,  vacant  kitchen  directly  over  this  cellar.  With 
the  wedge  Rose  pried  a  floor-board  out  of  its  place, 
and  made  an  opening  large  enough  to  let  himself 
through.  He  had  never  been  in  this  middle  cellar, 
and  was  wholly  ignorant  of  its  contents  or  whether  it 
was  occupied  by  Confederates  or  workmen ;  but  as  he 
had  made  no  noise,  and  the  place  was  in  profound 
darkness,  he  decided  to  go  down  and  reconnoiter. 

He  wrenched  off  one  of  the  long  boards  that  formed 
a  table-seat  in  the  kitchen,  and  found  that  it  was  long 
enough  to  touch  the  cellar  base  and  protrude  a  foot  or 
so  above  the  kitchen  floor.  By  this  means  he  easily 
descended,  leaving  Hamilton  to  keep  watch  above. 

The  storm  still  raged  fiercely,  and  the  faint  beams  of 
a  street-lamp  revealed  the  muffled  form  of  the  sentinel 
slowly  pacing  his  beat  and  carrying  his  musket  at 
"  secure  "  arms.  Creeping  softly  toward  him  along  the 
cellar  wall,  he  now  saw  that  what  he  had  supposed  was 
a  door  was  simply  a  naked  opening  to  the  street ;  and 
further  inspection  disclosed  the  fact  that  there  was 
but  one  sentinel  on  the  south  side  of  the  prison. 
Standing  in  the  dark  shadow,  he  could  easily  have 
touched  this  man  with  his  hand  as  he  repeatedly 
passed  him.  Groping  about,  he  found  various  appurte- 

13 


194       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

nances  indicating  that  the  south  end  of  this  cellar  was 
nsed  for  a  carpenter's  shop,  and  that  the  north  end 
was  partitioned  off  into  a  series  of  small  cells  with 
padlocked  doors,  and  that  through  each  door  a  square 
hole,  a  foot  in  diameter,  was  cut.  Subsequently  it 
was  learned  that  these  dismal  cages  were  alternately 
used  for  the  confinement  of  "  troublesome  prisoners" — 
i.  e.,  those  who  had  distinguished  themselves  by  ingeni 
ous  attempts  to  escape — and  also  for  runaway  slaves, 
and  Union  spies  under  sentence  of  death. 

At  the  date  of  Rose's  first  reconnaissance  to  this 
cellar,  these  cells  were  vacant  and  unguarded.  The 
night  was  far  spent,  and  Rose  proceeded  to  return 
to  the  kitchen,  where  Hamilton  was  patiently  waiting 
for  him. 

The  very  next  day  a  rare  good  fortune  befell  Rose. 
By  an  agreement  between  the  commissioners  of  ex 
change,  several  bales  of  clothing  and  blankets  had 
been  sent  by  our  government  to  the  famishing  Union 
prisoners  on  Belle  Isle,  a  number  of  whom  had  already 
frozen  to  death.  A  committee  of  Union  officers  then 
confined  in  Libby,  consisting  of  General  Neal  Dow, 
Colonel  Alexander  von  Shrader,  Lieut.-Colonel  Joseph 
F.  Boyd,  and  Colonel  Harry  White,  having  been  se 
lected  by  the  Confederates  to  supervise  the  distribu 
tion  of  the  donation,  Colonel  White  had,  by  a  shrewd 
bit  of  finesse,  "  confiscated  "  a  fine  rope  by  which  one 
of  the  bales  was  tied,  and  this  he  now  presented  to 
Colonel  Rose.  It  was  nearly  a  hundred  feet  long,  an 
inch  thick,  and  almost  new.  '<* 

It  was  hardly  dark  the  following  night  before  Rose 
and  Hamilton  were  again  in  the  kitchen,  and  as  soon 


COLONEL  ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT  LIBBY  PRISON  195 

as  all  was  quiet  Eose  fastened  his  rope  to  one  of  the 
supporting  posts,  took  up  the  floor-plank  as  before, 
and  both  men  descended  to  the  middle  cellar.  They 
were  not  a  little  disappointed  to  discover  that  where 
there  had  been  but  one  sentinel  on  the  south  side 
there  were  now  two.  On  this  and  for  several  nights 
they  contented  themselves  with  sly  visits  of  observa 
tion  to  this  cellar,  during  which  Rose  found  and  se 
creted  various  tools,  among  which  were  a  broad-ax,  a 
saw,  two  chisels,  several  files,  and  a  carpenter's  square. 
One  dark  night  both  men  went  down  and  determined 
to  try  their  luck  at  passing  the  guards.  Rose  made 
the  attempt  and  succeeded  in  passing  the  first  man, 
but  unluckily  was  seen  by  the  second.  The  latter 
called  lustily  for  the  corporal  of  the  guard,  and  the 
first  excitedly  cocked  his  gun  and  peered  into  the  dark 
door  through  which  Rose  swiftly  retreated.  The 
guard  called,  "  Who  goes  there  I "  but  did  not  enter  the 
dark  cellar.  Rose  and  Hamilton  mounted  the  rope 
and  had  just  succeeded  in  replacing  the  plank  when 
the  corporal  and  a  file  of  men  entered  the  cellar  with  a 
lantern.  They  looked  into  every  barrel  and  under 
every  bench,  but  no  sign  of  Yankees  appeared  ;  and  as 
on  this  night  it  happened  that  several  workmen  were 
sleeping  in  an  apartment  at  the  north  end,  the  cor 
poral  concluded  that  the  man  seen  by  the  sentinel 
was  one  of  these,  notwithstanding  their  denial  when 
awakened  and  questioned.  After  a  long  parley  the 
Confederates  withdrew,  and  Hamilton  and  Rose,  de 
pressed  in  spirits,  went  to  bed,  Rose  as  usual  conceal 
ing  his  rope. 

Before  the  week  was  out  they  were  at  it  again.     On 


196       ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAH 

one  of  these  nights  Rose  suddenly  came  upon  one  of 
the  workmen,  and,  swift  as  thought,  seized  the  hid 
den  broad-ax  with  the  intention  of  braining  him  if  he 
attempted  an  alarm ;  but  the  poor  fellow  was  too  much 
paralyzed  to  cry  out,  and  when  finally  he  did  recover 
his  voice  and  his  wits,  it  was  to  beg  Rose,  "  for  God's 
sake,"  not  to  come  in  there  again  at  night.  Evidently 
the  man  never  mentioned  the  circumstance,  for  Rose's 
subsequent  visits,  which  were  soon  resumed,  disclosed 
no  evidence  of  a  discovery  by  the  Confederates. 

Hamilton  agreed  with  Rose  that  there  remained  ap 
parently  but  one  means  of  escape,  and  that  was  by 
force.  To  overpower  the  two  sentinels  on  the  south 
side  would  have  been  an  easy  matter,  but  how  to  do  it 
and  not  alarm  the  rest  of  the  guard,  and,  in  conse 
quence,  the  whole  city,  was  the  problem.  To  secure 
these  sentinels,  without  alarming  their  comrades  on 
the  east,  west,  and  north  sides  of  the  prison,  would  re 
quire  the  swift  action  of  several  men  of  nerve  acting 
in  concert.  Precious  time  was  passing,  and  possibly 
further  alterations  might  be  decided  upon  that  would 
shut  them  off  from  the  middle  cellar,  as  they  had 
already  been  from  their  original  base  of  operations. 
Moreover,  a  new  cause  of  anxiety  now  appeared.  It 
soon  transpired  that  their  nocturnal  prowlings  and 
close  conferences  together  had  already  aroused  the  be 
lief  among  many  observant  prisoners  that  a  plan  of 
escape  was  afoot,  and  both  men  were  soon  eagerly 
plied  with  guarded  inquiries,  and  besought  by  their 
questioners  to  admit  them  to  their  confidence. 

Hamilton  and  Rose  now  decided  to  organize  an  escap 
ing  party.  A  number  of  men  were  then  sworn  to 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PEISON  197 

secrecy  and  obedience  by  Colonel  Rose,  who  was  the 
only  recognized  leader  in  all  operations  that  followed. 


This  party  soon  numbered  seventy  men.     The  band 
was  then  taken  down  by  Rose  in  convenient  details  to 


198        ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN  THE   CIVIL  WAK 

the  middle  cellar  or  carpenter's  shop  on  many  nights, 
to  familiarize  each  man  with  the  place  and  with  his 
special  part  in  the  plot,  and  also  to  take  advantage  of 
any  favoring  circumstances  that  might  arise. 

When  all  had  by  frequent  visits  become  familiar  with 
the  rendezvous,  Eose  and  the  whole  party  descended 
one  night  with  the  determination  to  escape  at  whatever 
hazard.  The  men  were  assigned  to  their  several  sta 
tions  as  usual,  and  a  selected  few  were  placed  by  the 
leader  close  to  the  entrance,  in  front  of  which  the  sen 
tinel  was  regularly  passing.  Rose  commanded  strict 
silence,  and  placed  himself  near  the  exit  preparatory 
to  giving  the  signal.  It  was  an  exciting  moment,  and 
the  bravest  heart  beat  fast.  A  signal  came,  but  not  the 
one  they  looked  for.  At  the  very  moment  of  action, 
the  man  whom  Rose  had  left  at  the  floor-opening  in 
the  kitchen  gave  the  danger-signal !  The  alert  leader 
had,  with  consummate  care,  told  every  man  beforehand 
that  he  must  never  be  surprised  by  this  signal, — it 
was  a  thing  to  be  counted  upon, — and  that  noise  and 
panic  were  of  all  things  to  be  avoided  as  fatal  folly  in 
their  operations.  As  a  consequence,  when  this  signal 
came,  Rose  quietly  directed  the  men  to  fall  in  line  and 
reascend  to  the  kitchen  rapidly,  but  without  noise, 
which  they  did  by  the  long  rope  which  now  formed  the 
easy  means  of  communication  from  the  kitchen  to  the 
cellar. 

Rose  remained  below  to  cover  the  retreat,  and  when 
the  last  man  got  up  he  followed  him,  replaced  the  board 
in  the  floor,  and  concealed  the  rope.  He  had  barely 
done  so  when  a  detail  of  Confederate  guards  entered 
the  kitchen  from  the  Carey  street  door,  and,  headed  by 


COLONEL   KOBE'S   TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY   PKISON  199 

an  officer,  marched  straight  in  his  direction.  Meantime 
the  party  had  disappeared  up  the  stairway  and  swiftly 
made  their  way  over  their  prostrate  comrades'  forms  to 
their  proper  sleeping-places.  Rose,  being  the  last  up, 
and  having  the  floor  to  fix,  had  now  no  time  to  disap 
pear  like  his  companions,  at  least  without  suspicious 
haste.  He  accordingly  took  a  seat  at  one  of  the  tables, 
and,  putting  an  old  pipe  in  his  mouth,  coolly  awaited 
the  approach  of  the  Confederates.  The  officer  of  the 
guard  came  along,  swinging  his  lantern  almost  in  his 
face,  stared  at  him.  for  a  second,  and  without  a  remark 
or  a  halt  marched  past  him  and  ascended  with  his 
escort  to  the  Chickamauga  room.  The  entrance  of  a 
guard  and  their  march  around  the  prison,  although 
afterward  common  enough  after  taps,  was  then  an  un 
usual  thing,  causing  much  talk  among  the  prisoners, 
and  to  the  mind  of  Eose  and  his  fellow-plotters  was 
indicative  of  aroused  suspicion  on  the  part  of  the 
Confederates. 

The  whispering  groups  of  men  next  day,  and  the 
number  of  his  eager  questioners,  gave  the  leader  con 
siderable  concern ;  and  Hamilton  suggested,  as  a 
measure  of  safety  rather  than  choice,  that  some  of 
the  mischievous  talk  of  escape  would  be  suppressed  by 
increasing  the  party.  This  was  acted  upon ;  the  men, 
like  the  rest,  were  put  under  oath  by  Rose,  and  the 
party  was  thus  increased  to  four  hundred  and  twenty. 
This  force  would  have  been  enough  to  overpower  the 
prison  guard  in  a  few  minutes,  but  the  swift  alarm  cer 
tain  to  ensue  in  the  streets  and  spread  like  wild-fire 
over  Richmond,  the  meager  information  possessed  by 
the  prisoners  as  to  the  strength  and  position  of  the 


200        ADVENTURES   AND    ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

nearest  Federal  troops,  the  strongly  guarded  labyrinth 
of  breastworks  that  encircled  the  city,  and  the  easy 
facilities  for  instant  pursuit  at  the  command  of  the 
Confederates,  put  the  success  of  such  an  undertaking 
clearly  out  of  the  range  of  probability,  unless,  indeed, 
some  unusual  favoring  contingency  should  arise,  such 
as  the  near  approach  of  a  cooperating  column  of 
Federal  cavalry. 

Nor  was  this  an  idle  dream,  as  the  country  now 
knows,  for  even  at  this  period  General  Kilpatrick  was 
maturing  his  plans  for  that  bold  expedition  for  the 
rescue  of  the  prisoners  at  Richmond  and  Belle  Isle  in 
which  the  lamented  and  heroic  young  cripple,  Colonel 
Ulric  Dahlgren,  lost  his  life.  Rose  saw  that  a  break 
out  of  Libby  without  such  outside  assistance  promised 
nothing  but  a  fruitless  sacrifice  of  life  and  the  sav 
age  punishment  of  the  survivors.  Hence  the  pro 
ject,  although  eagerly  and  exhaustively  discussed,  was 
prudently  abandoned. 

All  talk  of  escape  by  the  general  crowd  now  wholly 
ceased,  and  the  captives  resigned  themselves  to  their 
fate  and  waited  with  depressed  spirits  for  the  remote 
contingency  of  an  exchange.  The  quiet  thus  gained 
was  Rose's  opportunity.  He  sought  Hamilton  and  told 
him  that  they  must  by  some  stratagem  regain  access  to 
Rat  Hell,  and  that  the  tunnel  project  must  be  at  once 
revived.  The  latter  assented  to  the  proposition,  and 
the  two  began  earnestly  to  study  the  means  of  gain 
ing  an  entrance  without  discovery  into  this  coveted 
base  of  operations. 

They  could  not  even  get  into  the  room  above  the 
cellar  they  wanted  to  reach,  for  that  was  the  hospital, 


COLONEL  KOSE'S   TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PEISON  201 

and  the  kitchen's  heavy  wall  shut  them  off  therefrom. 
Neither  could  they  break  the  heavy  wall  that  divided 
this  cellar  from  the  carpenter's  shop,  which  had  been 
the  nightly  rendezvous  of  the  party  while  the  break 
out  was  under  consideration,  for  the  breach  certainly 
would  be  discovered  by  the  workmen  or  Confederates, 
some  of  whom  were  in  there  constantly  during 
daylight. 

There  was,  in  fact,  but  one  plan  by  which  Rat  Hell 
could  be  reached  without  detection,  and  the  conception 
of  this  device  and  its  successful  execution  were  due  to 
the  stout-hearted  Hamilton.  This  was  to  cut  a  hole  in 
the  back  of  the  kitchen  fireplace ;  the  incision  must 
be  just  far  enough  to  preserve  the  opposite  or  hos 
pital  side  intact.  It  must  then  be  cut  downward  to  a 
point  below  the  level  of  the  hospital  floor,  then  east 
ward  into  Eat  Hell,  the  completed  opening  thus  to  de 
scribe  the  letter  "  S."  It  must  be  wide  enough  to  let  a 
man  through,  yet  the  wall  must  not  be  broken  on  the 
hospital  side  above  the  floor,  nor  marred  on  the  car- 
penter's-shop  side  below  it.  Such  a  break  would  be 
fatal,  for  both  of  these  points  were  conspicuously  ex 
posed  to  the  view  of  the  Confederates  every  hour  in 
the  day.  Moreover,  it  was  imperatively  necessary 
that  all  trace  of  the  beginning  of  the  opening  should 
be  concealed,  not  only  from  the  Confederate  officials 
and  guards,  who  were  constantly  passing  the  spot 
every  day,  but  from  the  hundreds  of  uninitiated  pris 
oners  who  crowded  around  the  stove  just  in  front  of  it 
from  dawn  till  dark. 

Work  could  be  possible  only  between  the  hours  of 
ten  at  night,  when  the  room  was  generally  abandoned 


202        ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

by  the  prisoners  because  of  its  inundated  condition,  and 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  the  earliest  risers 
were  again  astir0  It  was  necessary  to  do  the  work  with 
an  old  jack-knife  and  one  of  the  chisels  previously  se 
cured  by  Rose.  It  must  be  done  in  darkness  and  with 
out  noise,  for  a  vigilant  sentinel  paced  on  the  Carey 
street  sidewalk  just  outside  the  door  and  within  ten 
feet  of  the  fireplace.  A  rubber  blanket  was  procured, 
and  the  soot  from  the  chimney  carefully  swept  into  it. 
Hamilton,  with  his  old  knife,  cut  the  mortar  between 
the  bricks  and  pried  a  dozen  of  them  out,  being  careful 
to  preserve  them  whole. 

The  rest  of  the  incision  was  made  in  accordance 
with  the  design  described,  but  no  conception  could 
have  been  formed  beforehand  of  the  sickening  tedious- 
ness  of  cutting  an  S-shaped  hole  through  a  heavy 
wall  with  a  feeble  old  jack-knife,  in  stolen  hours  of 
darkness.  Eose  guarded  his  comrade  against  the  con 
stant  danger  of  interruption  by  alert  enemies  on  one 
side  and  by  blundering  friends  on  the  other ;  and,  as 
frequently  happens  in  human  affairs,  their  friends 
gave  them  more  trouble  than  their  foes.  Night  after 
night  passed,  and  still  the  two  men  got  up  after  taps 
from  their  hard  beds,  and  descended  to  the  dismal  and 
reeking  kitchen  to  bore  for  liberty.  When  the  sentinel's 
call  at  Castle  Thunder  and  at  Libby  announced  four 
o'clock,  the  dislodged  bricks  were  carefully  replaced, 
and  the  soot  previously  gathered  in  the  gum  blanket 
was  flung  in  handfuls  against  the  restored  wall,  filling 
the  seams  between  the  bricks  so  thoroughly  as  to  defy 
detection.  At  last,  after  many  weary  nights,  Ham 
ilton's  heroic  patience  and  skill  were  rewarded,  and 


COLONEL   KOBE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY  PKISON  203 

tlie  way  was  open  to  the  coveted  base  of  operations, 
Rat   Hell. 

Now  occurred  a  circumstance  that  almost  revealed 
the  plot  and  nearly  ended  in  a  tragedy.  When  the 
opening  was  finished,  the  long  rope  was  made  fast  to 
one  of  the  kitchen  supporting  posts,  and  Eose  pro 
ceeded  to  descend  and  reconnoiter.  He  got  partly 
through  with  ease,  but  lost  his  hold  in  such  a  manner 
that  his  body  slipped  through  so  as  to  pinion  his  arms 
and  leave  him  wholly  powerless  either  to  drop  lower  or 
return — the  bend  of  the  hole  being  such  as  to  cramp 
his  back  and  neck  terribly  and  prevent  him  from  breath 
ing.  He  strove  desperately,  but  each  effort  only  wedged 
him  more  firmly  in  the  awful  vise.  Hamilton  sprang 
to  his  aid  and  did  his  utmost  to  effect  his  release ;  but, 
powerful  as  he  was,  he  could  not  budge  him.  Eose 
was  gasping  for  breath  and  rapidly  getting  fainter,  but 
even  in  this  fearful  strait  he  refrained  from  an  outcry 
that  would  certainly  alarm  the  guards  just  outside  the 
door.  Hamilton  saw  that  without  speedy  relief  his 
comrade  must  soon  smother.  He  dashed  through  the 
long,  dark  room  up  the  stairway,  over  the  forms  of 
several  hundred  men,  and  disregarding  consequences 
and  savage  curses  in  the  dark  and  crowded  room,  he 
trampled  upon  arms,  legs,  faces,  and  stomachs,  leaving 
riot  and  blasphemy  in  his  track  among  the  rudely  awa 
kened  and  now  furious  lodgers  of  the  Chickamauga 
room.  He  sought  the  sleeping-place  of  Major  George 
H.  Fitzsimmons,  but  he  was  missing.  He,  however, 
found  Lieutenant  F.  F.  Bennett,  of  the  18th  Eegulars 
(since  a  major  in  the  9th  United  States  Cavalry),  to 
whom  he  told  the  trouble  in  a  few  hasty  words.  Both 


204       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

men  fairly  flew  across  the  room,  dashed  down  the 
stairs,  and  by  their  united  efforts  Rose,  half  dead  and 
quite  speechless,  was  drawn  up  from  the  fearful  trap. 

Hamilton  managed  slightly  to  increase  the  size  of 
the  hole  and  provide  against  a  repetition  of  the  acci 
dent  just  narrated,  and  all  being  now  ready,  the  two 
men  entered  eagerly  upon  the  work  before  them.  They 
appropriated  one  of  the  wooden  spittoons  of  the  prison, 
and  to  each  side  attached  a  piece  of  clothes-line  which 
they  had  been  permitted  to  have  to  dry  clothes  on. 
Several  bits  of  candle  and  the  larger  of  the  two  chisels 
were  also  taken  to  the  operating-cellar.  They  kept  this 
secret  well,  and  worked  alone  for  many  nights.  In  fact, 
they  would  have  so  continued,  but  they  found  that 
after  digging  about  four  feet  their  candle  would  go  out 
in  the  vitiated  air.  Rose  did  the  digging,  and  Hamil 
ton  fanned  air  into  him  with  his  hat :  even  then  he  had 
to  emerge  into  the  cellar  every  few  minutes  to  breathe. 
Eose  could  dig,  but  needed  the  light  and  air ;  and  Ham 
ilton  could  not  fan,  and  drag  out  and  deposit  the  ex 
cavated  earth,  and  meantime  keep  a  lookout.  In  fact, 
it  was  demonstrated  that  there  was  slim  chance  of  suc 
ceeding  without  more  assistance,  and  it  was  decided  to 
organize  a  party  large  enough  for  effective  work  by  re 
liefs.  As  a  preliminary  step,  and  to  afford  the  means 
of  more  rapid  communication  with  the  cellar  from  the 
fireplace  opening,  the  long  rope  obtained  from  Colonel 
White  was  formed  by  Hamilton  into  a  rope-ladder  with 
convenient  wooden  rungs.  This  alteration  consider 
ably  increased  its  bulk,  and  added  to  Rose's  difficulty  in 
concealing  it  from  curious  eyes. 

He  now  made  a  careful  selection  of  thirteen  men 


COLONEL   KOBE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PKISON  205 

besides  himself  and  Hamilton,  and  bound  them  by  a 
solemn  oath  to  secrecy  and  strict  obedience.  To  form 
this  party  as  he  wanted  it  required  some  diplomacy,  as 
it  was  known  that  the  Confederates  had  on  more  than 
one  occasion  sent  cunning  spies  into  Libby  disguised 
as  Union  prisoners,  for  the  detection  of  any  contem 
plated  plan  of  escape.  Unfortunately,  the  complete 
list  of  the  names  of  the  party  now  formed  has  not  been 
preserved ;  but  among  the  party,  besides  Rose  and  Ham 
ilton,  were  Captain  John  Sterling,  30th  Indiana ;  Cap 
tain  John  Lucas,  5th  Kentucky  Cavalry ;  Captain  Isaac 
N.  Johnson,  6th  Kentucky  Cavalry;  and  Lieutenant 
F.  F.  Bennett,  18th  Regulars. 

The  party,  being  now  formed,  were  taken  to  Rat  Hell 
and  their  several  duties  explained  to  them  by  Rose, 
who  was  invested  with  full  authority  over  the  work  in 
hand.  Work  was  begun  in  rear  of  the  little  kitchen- 
room  previously  abandoned  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
the  cellar.  To  systematize  the  labor,  the  party  was 
divided  into  squads  of  five  each,  which  gave  the  men 
one  night  on  duty  and  two  off,  Rose  assigning  each 
man  to  the  branch  of  work  in  which  experiments 
proved  him  the  most  proficient.  He  was  himself,  by 
long  odds,  the  best  digger  of  the  party ;  while  Hamil 
ton  had  no  equal  for  ingenious  mechanical  skill  in  con 
triving  helpful  little  devices  to  overcome  or  lessen  the 
difficulties  that  beset  almost  every  step  of  the  party's 
progress. 

The  first  plan  was  to  dig  down  alongside  the  east 
wall  and  under  it  until  it  was  passed,  then  turn  south 
ward  and  make  for  the  large  street  sewer  next  the 
canal  and  into  which  Rose  had  before  noticed  work- 


206        ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

men  descending.  This  sewer  was  a  large  one,  believed 
to  be  fully  six  feet  high,  and,  if  it  could  be  gained,  there 
could  be  little  doubt  that  an  adjacent  opening  to  the 
canal  would  be  found  to  the  eastward.  It  was  very 
soon  revealed,  however,  that  the  lower  side  of  Libby 
was  built  upon  ponderous  timbers,  below  which  they 
could  not  hope  to  penetrate  with  their  meager  stock  of 
tools — such,  at  least,  was  the  opinion  of  nearly  all  the 
party.  Rose  nevertheless  determined  that  the  effort 
should  be  made,  and  they  were  soon  at  work  with  old 
penknives  and  case-knives  hacked  into  saws.  After 
infinite  labor  they  at  length  cut  through  the  great  logs, 
only  to  be  met  by  an  unforeseen  and  still  more  for 
midable  barrier.  Their  tunnel,  in  fact,  had  penetrated 
below  the  level  of  the  canal.  Water  began  to  filter  in 
—  feebly  at  first,  but  at  last  it  broke  in  with  a  rush  that 
came  near  drowning  Eose,  who  barely  had  time  to  make 
his  escape.  This  opening  was  therefore  plugged  up; 
and  to  do  this  rapidly  and  leave  no  dangerous  traces 
put  the  party  to  their  wit's  end. 

An  attempt  was  next  made  to  dig  into  a  small  sewer 
that  ran  from  the  southeast  corner  of  the  prison  into 
the  main  sewer.  After  a  number  of  nights  of  hard 
labor,  this  opening  was  extended  to  a  point  below  a 
brick  furnace  in  which  were  incased  several  caldrons. 
The  weight  of  this  furnace  caused  a  cave-in  near  the 
sentinel's  path  outside  the  prison  wall.  Next  day,  a 
group  of  officers  were  seen  eying  the  break  curiously. 
Rose,  listening  at  a  window  above,  heard  the  words 
"  rats  "  repeated  by  them  several  times,  and  took  com 
fort.  The  next  day  he  entered  the  cellar  alone,  feel 
ing  that  if  the  suspicions  of  the  Confederates  were 


COLONEL  ROSE'S   TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PEISON  207 

really  awakened  a  trap  would  be  set  for  him  in  Eat 
Hell,  and  determined,  if  such  were  really  the  case, 
that  he  would  be  the  only  victim  caught.  He  therefore 
entered  the  little  partitioned  corner  room  with  some 
anxiety,  but  there  was  no  visible  evidence  of  a  visit 
by  the  guards,  and  his  spirits  again  rose. 

The  party  now  reassembled,  and  an  effort  was  made 
to  get  into  the  small  sewer  that  ran  from  the  cook- 
room  to  the  big  sewer  which  Rose  was  so  eager  to 
reach ;  but  soon  it  was  discovered,  to  the  utter  dismay 
of  the  weary  party,  that  this  wood-lined  sewer  was  too 
small  to  let  a  man  through  it.  Still  it  was  hoped  by 
Eose  that  by  removing  the  plank  with  which  it  was 
lined  the  passage  could  be  made.  The  spirits  of  the 
party  were  by  this  time  considerably  dashed  by  their 
repeated  failures  and  sickening  work;  but  the  un 
daunted  Eose,  aided  by  Hamilton,  persuaded  the  men 
to  another  effort,  and  soon  the  knives  and  toy  saws 
were  at  work  again  with  vigor.  The  work  went  on  so 
swimmingly  that  it  was  confidently  believed  that  an 
entrance  to  the  main  sewer  would  be  gained  on  the 
night  of  January  26,  1864. 

On  the  night  of  the  25th  two  men  had  been  left 
down  in  Eat  Hell  to  cover  any  remaining  traces  of 
a  tunnel,  and  when  night  came  again  it  was  expected 
that  all  would  be  ready  for  the  escape  between  eight 
and  nine  o'clock.  In  the  mean  time,  the  two  men 
were  to  enter  and  make  careful  examination  of  the 
main  sewer  and  its  adjacent  outlets.  The  party,  which 
was  now  in  readiness  for  its  march  to  the  Federal 
camps,  waited  tidings  from  these  two  men  all  next  day 
in  tormenting  anxiety,  and  the  weary  hours  went  by 


208       ADVENTUKES   AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAB 

on  leaden  wings.  At  last  the  sickening  word  came 
that  the  planks  yet  to  be  removed  before  they  could 
enter  the  main  sewer  were  of  seasoned  oak — hard  as 
bone,  and  three  inches  thick.  Their  feeble  tools  were 
now  worn  out  or  broken ;  they  could  no  longer  get  air 
to  work,  or  keep  a  light  in  the  horrible  pit,  which  was 
reeking  with  cold  mud;  in  short,  any  attempt  at 
further  progress  with  the  utensils  at  hand  was  foolish. 
Most  of  the  party  were  now  really  ill  from  the  foul 
stench  in  which  they  had  lived  so  long.  The  visions 
of  liberty  that  had  first  lured  them  to  desperate  efforts 
under  the  inspiration  of  Rose  and  Hamilton  had  at 
last  faded,  and  one  by  one  they  lost  heart  and  hope, 
and  frankly  told  Colonel  Rose  that  they  could  do  no 
more.  The  party  was  therefore  disbanded,  and  the  yet 
sanguine  leader,  with  Hamilton  for  his  sole  helper, 
continued  the  work  alone.  Up  to  this  time  thirty-nine 
nights  had  been  spent  in  the  work  of  excavation. 
The  two  men  now  made  a  careful  examination  of  the 
northeast  corner  of  the  cellar,  at  which  point  the 
earth's  surface  outside  the  prison  wall,  being  eight  or 
nine  feet  higher  than  at  the  canal  or  south  side, 
afforded  a  better  place  to  dig  than  the  latter,  being 
free  from  water  and  with  clay-top  enough  to  support 
itself.  The  unfavorable  feature  of  this  point  was  that 
the  only  possible  terminus  of  a  tunnel  was  a  yard  be 
tween  the  buildings  beyond  the  vacant  lot  on  the  east 
of  Libby.  Another  objection  was  that,  even  when 
the  tunnel  should  be  made  to  that  point,  the  exit  of 
any  escaping  party  must  be  made  through  an  arched 
wagon-way  under  the  building  that  faced  the  street  on 
the  canal  side,  and  every  man  must  emerge  on  the 


COLONEL   EOSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PRISON  209 

sidewalk  in  sight  of  the  sentinel  on  the  south  side  of 
the  prison,  the  intervening  space  being  in  the  full 
glare  of  the  gas-lamp.  It  was  carefully  noted,  how 
ever,  by  Eose,  long  before  this,  that  the  west  end  of 
the  beat  of  the  nearest  sentinel  was  between  fifty  and 
sixty  feet  from  the  point  of  egress,  and  it  was  con 
cluded  that  by  walking  away  at  the  moment  the  sen 
tinel  commenced  his  pace  westward,  one  would  be  far 
enough  into  the  shadow  to  make  it  improbable  that  the 
color  of  his  clothing  could  be  made  out  by  the  sentinel 
when  he  faced  about  to  return  toward  the  eastern  end 
of  his  beat,  which  terminated  ten  to  fifteen  feet  east  of 
the  prison  wall.  It  was  further  considered  that  as 
these  sentinels  had  for  their  special  duty  the  guarding 
of  the  prison,  they  would  not  be  eager  to  burden  them 
selves  with  the  duty  of  molesting  persons  seen  in  the 
vicinity  outside  of  their  jurisdiction,  provided,  of 
course,  that  the  retreating  forms — many  of  which  they 
must  certainly  see — were  not  recognized  as  Yankees. 
All  others  they  might  properly  leave  for  the  challenge 
and  usual  examination  of  the  provost  guard  who 
patrolled  the  streets  of  Richmond. 

The  wall  of  that  east  cellar  had  to  be  broken  in 
three  places  before  a  place  was  found  where  the  earth 
was  firm  enough  to  support  a  tunnel.  The  two  men 
worked  on  with  stubborn  patience,  but  their  progress 
was  painfully  slow.  Rose  dug  assiduously,  and  Hamil 
ton  alternately  fanned  air  to  his  comrade  and  dragged 
out  and  hid  the  excavated  dirt,  but  the  old  difficulty 
confronted  him.  The  candle  would  not  burn,  the  air 
could  not  be  fanned  fast  enough  with  a  hat,  and  the  dirt 
hidden,  without  better  contrivances  or  additional  help. 


14 


210         ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

Rose  now  reassembled  the  party,  and  selected  from 
them  a  number  w7ho  were  willing  to  renew  the  at 
tempt.1  Against  the  east  wall  stood  a  series  of  stone 
fenders  abutting  inward,  and  these,  being  at  uniform 
intervals  of  about  twenty  feet,  cast  deep  shadows  that 
fell  toward  the  prison  front.  In  one  of  these  dark  re 
cesses  the  wall  was  pierced,  well  up  toward  the  Carey 
street  end.  ,.  The  earth  here  has  very  densely  com 
pressed  sand,  that  offered  a  strong  resistance  to  the 
broad-bladed  chisel,  which  was  their  only  effective 
implement,  and  it  was  clear  that  a  long  turn  of  hard 
work  must  be  done  to  penetrate  under  the  fifty-foot 
lot  to  the  objective  point.  The  lower  part  of  the 
tunnel  was  about  six  inches  above  the  level  of  the  cel 
lar  floor,  and  its  top  about  two  and  a  half  feet.  Ab 
solute  accuracy  was  of  course  impossible,  either  in 
giving  the  hole  a  perfectly  horizontal  direction  or  in 
preserving  uniform  dimensions ;  but  a  fair  level  was 
preserved,  and  the  average  diameter  of  the  tunnel  was 
a  little  over  two  feet.  Usually  one  man  would  dig, 
and  fill  the  spittoon  with  earth ;  upon  the  signal  of  a 
gentle  pull,  an  assistant  would  drag  the  load  into  the 


1  The  party  now  consisted  of  Col-  21st  Illinois  ;  Lieutenant  David  Gar- 

onel   Thomas  E.  Rose,  77th  Penn-  bett,  77th Pennsylvania; Lieutenant 

sylvania ;   Major  A.   G.   Hamilton,  J.  C.  Fislar,  7th  Indiana  Artillery ; 

12th  Kentucky;   Captain   Terrance  Lieutenant  John  D.  Simpson,  10th 

Clark,  79th  Illinois;   Major  George  Indiana  ;  Lieutenant  John  Mitchell, 

H.  Fitzsimmons,  30th Indiana;  Cap-  79th   Illinois;   and  Lieutenant  Eli 

tain  John  F.Gallagher,  2d  Ohio:  Cap-  Foster,  30th   Indiana.     This  party 

tain  W.  S.   B.    Randall,    2d  Ohio ;  was  divided  into  three  reliefs,  as 

Captain  John  Lucas,  5th  Kentucky ;  before,  and  the  work  of  breaking 

Captain   I.   N.   Johnson,    6th  Ken-  the  cellar  wall  was  successfully  done 

tucky;  Major  B.  B.  McDonald,  101st  the   first  night  by  McDonald  and 

Ohio;  Lieutenant  N.  S,   McKean,  Clark. 


COLONEL   EOSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PRISON  211 

cellar  by  the  clothes-lines  fastened  to  each  side  of  this 
box,  and  then  hide  it  under  the  straw ;  a  third  con 
stantly  fanned  air  into  the  tunnel  with  a  rubber 
blanket  stretched  across  a  frame,  the  invention  of  the 
ingenious  Hamilton ;  a  fourth  would  give  occasional  re 
lief  to  the  last  two ;  while  a  fifth  would  keep  a  lookout. 

The  danger  of  discovery  wras  continual,  for  the 
guards  were  under  instructions  from  the  prison  com 
mandant  to  make  occasional  visits  to  every  accessible 
part  of  the  building ;  so  that  it  was  not  unusual  for  a 
sergeant  and  several  men  to  enter  the  south  door  of 
Rat  Hell  in  the  daytime,  while  the  diggers  were  at 
labor  in  the  dark  north  end.  During  these  visits  the 
digger  would  watch  the  intruders  with  his  head  stick 
ing  out  of  the  tunnel,  while  the  others  would  crouch 
behind  the  low  stone  fenders,  or  crawl  quickly  under 
the  straw.  This  was,  however,  so  uninviting  a  place 
that  the  Confederates  made  this  visit  as  brief  as  a 
nominal  compliance  with  their  orders  permitted,  and 
they  did  not  often  venture  into  the  dark  north  end. 
The  work  was  fearfully  monotonous,  and  the  more  so 
because  absolute  silence  was  commanded,  the  men 
moving  about  mutely  in  the  dark.  The  darkness 
caused  them  frequently  to  become  bewildered  and 
lost ;  and  as  Rose  could  not  call  out  for  them,  he  had 
often  to  hunt  all  over  the  big  dungeon  to  gather  them 
up  and  pilot  them  to  their  places. 

The  difficulty  of  forcing  air  to  the  digger,  whose 
body  nearly  filled  the  tunnel,  increased  as  the  hole  was 
extended,  and  compelled  the  operator  to  back  often 
into  the  cellar  for  air,  and  for  air  that  was  itself  foul 
enough  to  sicken  a  strong  man. 


212       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

But  they  were  no  longer  harassed  with  the  water 
and  timbers  that  had  impeded  their  progress  at  the 
south  end.  Moreover,  experience  was  daily  making 
each  man  more  proficient  in  the  work.  Rose  urged 
them  on  with  cheery  enthusiasm,  and  their  hopes  rose 
high,  for  already  they  had  penetrated  beyond  the 
sentinel's  beat  and  were  n earing  the  goal. 

The  party  off  duty  kept  a  cautious  lookout  from  the 
upper  east  windows  for  any  indications  of  suspicion  on 
the  part  of  the  Confederates.  In  this  extreme  caution 
was  necessary,  both  to  avert  the  curiosity  of  prisoners 
in  those  east  rooms,  and  to  keep  out  of  the  range  of 
bullets  from  the  guards,  who  were  under  a  standing 
order  to  fire  at  a  head  if  seen  at  a  window,  or  at  a 
hand  if  placed  on  the  bars  that  secured  them.  A  sen 
tinel's  bullet  one  day  cut  a  hole  in  the  ear  of  Lieuten 
ant  Hammond;  another  officer  was  wounded  in  the 
face  by  a  bullet,  which  fortunately  first  splintered 
against  one  of  the  window-bars ;  and  a  captain  of  an 
Ohio  regiment  was  shot  through  the  head  and  in 
stantly  killed  while  reading  a  newspaper.  He  was 
violating  no  rule  whatever,  and  when  shot  was  from 
eight  to  ten  feet  inside  the  window  through  which  the 
bullet  came.  This  was  a  wholly  unprovoked  and  wan 
ton  murder ;  the  cowardly  miscreant  had  fired  the  shot 
while  he  was  off  duty,  and  from  the  north  sidewalk  of 
Carey  street.  The  guards  (home  guards  they  were) 
used,  in  fact,  to  gun  for  prisoners'  heads  from  their 
posts  below,  pretty  much  after  the  fashion  of  boys 
after  squirrels ;  and  the  whizz  of  a  bullet  through  the 
windows  became  too  common  an  occurrence  to  occa 
sion  remark  unless  some  one  was  shot. 


COLONEL   ROSENS   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY  PEISON  213 

Under  a  standing  rule,  the  twelve  hundred  prisoners 
were  counted  twice  each  day,  the  first  count  being  made 
about  nine  in  the  morning,  and  the  last  about  four  in 
the  afternoon.  This  duty  was  habitually  done  by  the 
clerk  of  the  prison,  E.  W.  Eoss,  a  civilian  employed  by 
the  commandant.  He  was  christened  "Little  Ross"1  by 
the  prisoners,  because  of  his  diminutive  size.  Eoss  was 
generally  attended  by  either  "Dick"  Turner,  Adjutant 
Latouche,  or  Sergeant  George  Stansil,  of  the  18th  Geor 
gia,  with  a  small  guard  to  keep  the  prisoners  in  four 
closed  ranks  during  the  count.  The  commandant  of 
the  prison,  Major  Thomas  P.  Turner  (no  relative  of 
Dick's),  seldom  came  up-stairs. 

To  conceal  the  absence  of  the  five  men  who  were  daily 
at  work  at  the  tunnel,  their  comrades  of  the  party  off 
digging  duty  resorted,  under  Eose's  supervision,  to  a 
device  of  "repeating."  This  scheme,  which  was  of  vital 
importance  to  hoodwink  the  Confederates  and  avert 
mischievous  curiosity  among  the  uninformed  prisoners, 
was  a  hazardous  business  that  severely  taxed  the  in 
genuity  and  strained  the  nerve  of  the  leader  and  his 
coadjutors.  The  manner  of  the  fraud  varied  with  cir 
cumstances,  but  in  general  it  was  worked  by  five  of 
Eose's  men,  after  being  counted  at  or  near  the  head  of 
the  line,  stooping  down  and  running  toward  the  foot 
of  the  ranks,  where  a  few  moments  later  they  were 
counted  a  second  time,  thus  making  Eoss's  book  bal 
ance.  The  whole  five,  however,  could  not  always  do 
this  undiscovered,  and  perhaps  but  three  of  the  num 
ber  could  repeat.  These  occasional  mishaps  threatened 

1  "Little  Boss"  was  burned  to  death,  with  other  guests,  at  the  Spots  wood 
House,  Richmond,  in  1873. 


214       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

to  dethrone  the  reason  of  the  puzzled  clerk ;  but  in  the 
next  count  the  "repeaters"  would  succeed  in  their 
game,  and  for  the  time  all  went  well,  until  one  day 
some  of  the  prisoners  took  it  into  their  heads,  "  just  for 
the  fun  of  the  thing,"  to  imitate  the  repeaters.  Uncon 
scious  of  the  curses  that  the  party  were  mentally  hurl 
ing  at  them,  the  meddlers'  sole  purpose  was  to  make 
" Little  Ross"  mad.  In  this  they  certainly  met  with 
signal  success,  for  the  reason  of  the  mystified  clerk 
seemed  to  totter  as  he  repeated  the  count  over  and  over 
in  the  hope  of  finding  out  how  one  careful  count  would 
show  that  three  prisoners  were  missing  and  the  next 
an  excess  of  fifteen.  Finally  Ross,  lashed  into  un 
controllable  fury  by  the  sarcastic  remarks  of  his  em 
ployers  and  the  heartless  merriment  of  the  grinning 
Yanks  before  him,  poured  forth  his  goaded  soul  as 
follows : 

"  Now,  gentlemen,  look  yere.  I  can  count  a  hundred 
as  good  as  any  blank  man  in  this  yere  town,  but  I'll 
be  blank  blanked  if  I  can  count  a  hundred  of  you 
blanked  Yankees.  Now,  gentlemen,  there  's  one  thing 
sho :  there 's  eight  or  ten  of  you-uns  yere  that  ain't  yere ! " 

This  extraordinary  accusation  "brought  down  the 
house,"  and  the  Confederate  officers  and  guards,  and 
finally  Ross  himself,  were  caught  by  the  resistless 
contagion  of  laughter  that  shook  the  rafters  of  Libby. 

The  officials  somehow  found  a  balance  that  day  on 
the  books,  and  the  danger  was  for  this  once  over,  to  the 
infinite  relief  of  Rose  and  his  anxious  comrades.  But 
the  Confederates  appeared  dissatisfied  with  something, 
and  came  up-stairs  next  morning  with  more  officers  and 
with  double  the  usual  number  of  guards;  and  some  of 


COLONEL  HOSE'S   TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PRISON          215 

these  were  now  stationed  about  the  room  so  as  to  make 
it  next  to  impossible  to  work  the  repeating  device  suc 
cessfully.  On  this  day,  for  some  reason,  there  were 
but  two  men  in  the  cellar,  and  these  were  Major  B.  B. 
McDonald  and  Captain  I.  N.  Johnson. 

The  count  began  as  usual,  and  despite  the  guard  in 
rear,  two  of  the  party  attempted  the  repeating  device 
by  forcing  their  way  through  the  center  of  the  ranks 
toward  the  left ;  but  the  "  fun  of  the  thing "  had  now 
worn  out  with  the  unsuspecting  meddlers,  who  re 
sisted  the  passage  of  the  two  men.  This  drew  the  at 
tention  of  the  Confederate  officers,  and  the  repeaters 
were  threatened  with  punishment.  The  result  was  in 
evitable  :  the  count  showed  two  missing.  It  was  care 
fully  repeated,  with  the  same  result.  To  the  dismay  of 
Rose  and  his  little  band,  the  prison  register  was  now 
brought  up-stairs  and  a  long,  tedious  roll-call  by  name 
was  endured,  each  man  passing  through  a  narrow  door 
as  his  name  was  called,  and  between  a  line  of  guards. 

No  stratagem  that  Rose  could  now  invent  could  avert 
the  discovery  by  the  Confederates  that  McDonald  and 
Johnson  had  disappeared,  and  the  mystery  of  their  de 
parture  would  be  almost  certain  to  cause  an  inquiry 
and  investigation  that  would  put  their  plot  in  peril  and 
probably  reveal  it. 

At  last  the  "  J's"  were  reached,  and  the  name  of 
I.  N.  Johnson  was  lustily  shouted  and  repeated,  with 
no  response.  The  roll-call  proceeded  until  the  name 
of  B.  B.  McDonald  was  reached.  To  the  increasing 
amazement  of  everybody  but  the  conspirators,  he  also 
had  vanished.  A  careful  note  was  taken  of  these  two 
names  by  the  Confederates,  and  a  thousand  tongues 


216       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAS 

were  now  busy  with  the  names  of  the  missing  men  and 
their  singular  disappearance. 

The  conspirators  were  in  a  tight  place,  and  must 
choose  between  two  things.  One  was  for  the  men  in 
the  cellar  to  return  that  night  and  face  the  Confeder 
ates  with  the  most  plausible  explanation  of  their  ab 
sence  that  they  could  invent,  and  the  other  alternative 
was  the  revolting  one  of  remaining  in  their  horrible 
abode  until  the  completion  of  the  tunnel. 

When  night  came  the  fireplace  was  opened,  and  the 
unlucky  pair  were  informed  of  the  situation  of  affairs 
and  asked  to  choose  between  the  alternatives  pre 
sented.  McDonald  decided  to  return  and  face  the 
music;  but  Johnson,  doubtful  if  the  Confederates 
would  be  hoodwinked  by  any  explanation,  voted  to 
remain  where  he  was  and  wait  for  the  finish  of  the 
tunnel. 

As  was  anticipated,  McDonald's  return  awakened 
almost  as  much  curiosity  among  the  inhabitants  of 
Libby  as  his  disappearance,  and  he  was  soon  called  to 
account  by  the  Confederates.  He  told  them  he  had 
fallen  asleep  in  an  out-of-the-way  place  in  the  upper 
west  room,  where  the  guards  must  have  overlooked 
him  during  the  roll-call  of  the  day  before.  McDonald 
was  not  further  molested.  The  garrulous  busybodies, 
who  were  Rose's  chief  dread,  told  the  Confederate 
officials  that  they  had  certainly  slept  near  Johnson  the 
night  before  the  day  he  was  missed.  Lieutenant  J.  C. 
Fislar  (of  the  working  party),  who  also  slept  next  to 
Johnson,  boldly  declared  this  a  case  of  mistaken  iden 
tity,  and  confidently  expressed  his  belief  to  both  Con 
federates  and  Federals  who  gathered  around  him  that 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY  PEISON  217 

Johnson  had  escaped,  and  was  by  this  time,  no  doubt, 
safe  in  the  Union  lines.  To  this  he  added  the  positive 
statement  that  Johnson  had  not  been  in  his  accus 
tomed  sleeping-place  for  a  good  many  nights.  The 
busybodies,  who  had  indeed  told  the  truth,  looked  at 
the  speaker  in  speechless  amazement,  but  reiterated 
their  statements.  Others  of  the  conspirators,  however, 
took  Fislar's  bold  cue  and  stoutly  corroborated  him. 

Johnson  was,  of  course,  nightly  fed  by  his  compan 
ions,  and  gave  them  such  assistance  as  he  could  at  the 
work ;  but  it  soon  became  apparent  that  a  man  could 
not  long  exist  in  such  a  pestilential  atmosphere.  No 
tongue  can  tell  how  long  were  the  days  and  nights  the 
poor  fellow  passed  among  the  squealing  rats, —  endur 
ing  the  sickening  air,  the  deathly  chill,  the  horrible, 
interminable  darkness.  One  day  out  of  three  was  an 
ordeal  for  the  workers,  who  at  least  had  a  rest  of  two 
days  afterward.  As  a  desperate  measure  of  relief,  it 
was  arranged,  with  the  utmost  caution,  that  late  each 
night  Johnson  should  come  up-stairs,  when  all  was 
dark  and  the  prison  in  slumber,  and  sleep  among  the 
prisoners  until  just  before  the  time  for  closing  the  fire 
place  opening,  about  four  o'clock  each  morning.  As  he 
spoke  to  no  one  and  the  room  was  dark,  his  presence 
was  never  known,  even  to  those  who  lay  next  to 
him  ;  and  indeed  he  listened  to  many  earnest  conversa 
tions  between  his  neighbors  regarding  his  wonderful 
disappearance.1 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  incidents  above  narrated 
made  day-work  on  the  tunnel  too  hazardous  to  be  in- 

1  In  a  volume  entitled  "  Four  Months  in  Libby,"  Captain  Johnson  has 
related  his  experience  at  this  time,  and  his  subsequent  escape. 


218        ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE  CIVIL  WAE 

dulged  in,  on  account  of  the  increased  difficulty  of 
accounting  for  absentees ;  but  the  party  continued  the 
night- work  with  unabated  industry. 

When  the  opening  had  been  extended  nearly  across 
the  lot,  some  of  the  party  believed  they  had  entered 
under  the  yard  which  was  the  intended  terminus ;  and 
one  night,  when  McDonald  was  the  digger,  so  confident 
was  he  that  the  desired  distance  had  been  made,  that 
he  turned  his  direction  upward,  and  soon  broke 
through  to  the  surface.  A  glance  showed  him  his 
nearly  fatal  blunder,  against  which,  indeed,  he  had 
been  earnestly  warned  by  Eose,  who  from  the  first 
had  carefully  estimated  the  intervening  distance  be 
tween  the  east  wall  of  Libby  and  the  terminus.  In 
fact,  McDonald  saw  that  he  had  broken  through  in  the 
open  lot  which  was  all  in  full  view  of  a  sentinel  who 
was  dangerously  close.  Appalled  by  what  he  had  done, 
he  retreated  to  the  cellar  and  reported  the  disaster 
to  his  companions.  Believing  that  discovery  was  now 
certain,  the  party  sent  one  of  their  number  up  the  rope 
to  report  to  Eose,  who  was  asleep.  The  hour  was  about 
midnight  when  the  leader  learned  of  the  mischief.  He 
quickly  got  up,  went  down  cellar,  entered  the  tunnel, 
and  examined  the  break.  It  was  not  so  near  the  sen 
tinel's  path  as  McDonald's  excited  report  indicated, 
and  fortunately  the  breach  was  at  a  point  whence  the 
surface  sloped  downward  toward  the  east.  He  took  off 
his  blouse  and  stuffed  it  into  the  opening,  pulling  the 
dirt  over  it  noiselessly,  and  in  a  few  minutes  there  was 
little  surface  evidence  of  the  hole.  He  then  backed 
into  the  cellar  in  the  usual  crab  fashion,  and  gave  di 
rections  for  the  required  depression  of  the  tunnel  and 


COLONEL  HOSE'S   TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PKISON          219 

vigorous  resumption  of  the  work.  The  hole  made  in 
the  roof  of  the  tunnel  was  not  much  larger  than  a  rat- 
hole,  and  could  not  be  seen  from  the  prison.  But  the 
next  night  Eose  shoved  an  old  shoe  out  of  the  hole, 
and  the  day  afterward  he  looked  down  through  the 
prison  bars  and  saw  the  shoe  lying  where  he  had 
placed  it,  and  judged  from  its  position  that  he  had 
better  incline  the  direction  of  the  tunnel  slightly  to 
the  left. 

Meantime  Captain  Johnson  was  dragging  out  a 
wretched  existence  in  Eat  Hell,  and  for  safety  was 
obliged  to  confine  himself  by  day  to  the  dark  north 
end,  for  the  Confederates  often  came  into  the  place 
very  suddenly  through  the  south  entrance.  When  they 
ventured  too  close,  Johnson  would  get  into  a  pit  that 
he  had  dug  under  the  straw  as  a  hiding-hole  both  for 
himself  and  the  tunnelers'  tools,  and  quickly  cover  him 
self  with  a  huge  heap  of  short  packing-straw.  A  score 
of  times  he  came  near  being  stepped  upon  by  the  Con 
federates,  and  more  than  once  the  dust  of  the  straw 
compelled  him  to  sneeze  in  their  very  presence. 

On  Saturday,  February  6,  a  larger  party  than  usual 
of  the  Confederates  came  into  the  cellar,  walked  by  the 
very  mouth  of  the  tunnel,  and  seemed  to  be  making  a 
critical  survey  of  the  entire  place.  They  remained  an 
unusually  long  time  and  conversed  in  low  tones;  several 
of  them  even  kicked  the  loose  straw  about ;  and  in  fact 
everything  seemed  to  indicate  to  Johnson — who  was 
the  only  one  of  the  working  party  now  in  the  cellar  — 
that  the  long-averted  discovery  had  been  made.  That 
night  he  reported  matters  fully  to  Eose  at  the  fireplace 
opening. 


220        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

The  tunnel  was  now  nearly  completed,  and  when 
Rose  conveyed  Johnson's  message  to  the  party  it  caused 
dismay.  Even  the  stout-hearted  Hamilton  was  for 
once  excited,  and  the  leader  whose  unflinching  forti 
tude  had  thus  far  inspired  his  little  band  had  his  brave 
spirits  dashed.  Bat  his  buoyant  courage  rose  quickly 
to  its  high  and  natural  level.  He  could  not  longer 
doubt  that  the  suspicions  of  the  Confederates  were 
aroused,  but  he  felt  convinced  that  these  suspicions 
had  not  as  yet  assumed  such  a  definite  shape  as  most 
of  his  companions  thought;  still,  he  had  abundant 
reason  to  believe  that  the  success  of  the  tunnel  abso 
lutely  demanded  its  speedy  completion,  and  he  now 
firmly  resolved  that  a  desperate  effort  should  be  made 
to  that  end.  Remembering  that  the  next  day  was  Sun 
day,  and  that  it  was  not  customary  for  the  Confederates 
to  visit  the  operating-cellar  on  that  day,  he  determined 
to  make  the  most  in  his  power  of  the  now  precious 
time.  He  therefore  caused  all  the  party  to  remain  up 
stairs,  directing  them  to  keep  a  close  watch  upon  the 
Confederates  from  all  available  points  of  observation, 
to  avoid  being  seen  in  whispering  groups, — in  short,  to 
avoid  all  things  calculated  to  excite  the  curiosity  of 
friends  or  the  suspicion  of  enemies, — and  to  await  his 
return. 

Taking  McDonald  with  him,  he  went  down  through 
the  fireplace  before  daylight  on  Sunday  morning,  and, 
bidding  Johnson  to  keep  a  vigilant  watch  for  intruders 
and  McDonald  to  fan  air  into  him,  he  entered  the  tun 
nel  and  began  the  forlorn  hope.  From  this  time  for 
ward  he  never  once  turned  over  the  chisel  to  a  relief. 

All  day  long  he  worked  with  the  tireless  patience  of 


COLONEL   HOSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PRISON  221 

a  beaver.  When  night  came,  even  his  single  helper, 
who  performed  the  double  duty  of  fanning  air  and  hid 
ing  the  excavated  earth,  was  ill  from  his  hard,  long 
task  and  the  deadly  air  of  the  cellar.  Yet  this  was  as 
nothing  compared  with  the  fatigue  of  the  duty  that 
Rose  had  performed;  and  when  at  last,  far  into  the 
night,  he  backed  into  the  cellar,  he  had  scarcely  strength 
enough  to  stagger  across  to  the  rope-ladder. 

He  had  made  more  than  double  the  distance  that  had 
been  accomplished  under  the  system  of  reliefs  on  any 
previous  day,  and  the  non-appearance  of  the  Confeder 
ates  encouraged  the  hope  that  another  day,  without 
interruption,  would  see  the  work  completed.  He  there 
fore  determined  to  refresh  himself  by  a  night's  sleep  for 
the  finish.  The  drooping  spirits  of  his  party  were  re 
vived  by  the  report  of  his  progress  and  his  unalterable 
confidence. 

Monday  morning  dawned,  and  the  great  prison  with 
its  twelve  hundred  captives  was  again  astir.  The 
general  crowd  did  not  suspect  the  suppressed  excite 
ment  and  anxiety  of  the  little  party  that  waited  through 
that  interminable  day,  which  they  felt  must  determine 
the  fate  of  their  project. 

Eose  had  repeated  the  instructions  of  the  day  before, 
and  again  descended  to  Eat  Hell  with  McDonald  for 
his  only  helper.  Johnson  reported  all  quiet,  and  Mc 
Donald  taking  up  his  former  duties  at  the  tunnel's 
mouth,  Eose  once  more  entered  with  his  chisel.  It  was 
now  the  seventeenth  day  since  the  present  tunnel  was 
begun,  and  he  resolved  it  should  be  the  last.  Hour 
after  hour  passed,  and  still  the  busy  chisel  was  plied, 
and  still  the  little  wooden  box  with  its  freight  of  earth 


222       ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

made  its  monotonous  trips  from  the  digger  to  Ms 
comrade  and  back  again. 

From  the  early  morning  of  Monday,  February  8, 
1864,  until  an  hour  after  midnight  the  next  morning, 
his  work  went  on.  As  midnight  approached,  Rose  was 
nearly  a  physical  wreck :  the  perspiration  dripped  from 
every  pore  of  his  exhausted  body ;  food  he  could  not 
have  eaten  if  he  had  had  it.  His  labors  thus  far  had 
given  him  a  somewhat  exaggerated  estimate  of  his 
physical  powers.  The  sensation  of  fainting  was  strange 
to  him,  but  his  staggering  senses  warned  him  that  to 
faint  where  he  was  meant  at  once  his  death  and  burial. 
He  could  scarcely  inflate  his  lungs  with  the  poisonous 
air  of  the  pit;  his  muscles  quivered  with  increasing 
weakness  and  the  warning  spasmodic  tremor  which 
their  unnatural  strain  induced;  his  head  swam  like 
that  of  a  drowning  person. 

By  midnight  he  had  struck  and  passed  beyond  a  post 
which  he  felt  must  be  in  the  yard.  During  the  last 
few  minutes  he  had  directed  his  course  upward,  and 
to  relieve  his  cramped  limbs  he  turned  upon  his  back. 
His  strength  was  nearly  gone ;  the  feeble  stream  of  air 
which  his  comrade  was  trying,  with  all  his  might,  to 
send  to  him  from  a  distance  of  fifty-three  feet  could 
no  longer  reach  him  through  the  deadly  stench.  His 
senses  reeled;  he  had  not  breath  or  strength  enough 
to  move  backward  through  his  narrow  grave.  In  the 
agony  of  suffocation  he  dropped  the  dull  chisel  and 
beat  his  two  fists  against  the  roof  of  his  grave  with  the 
might  of  despair  —  when,  blessed  boon  !  the  crust  gave 
way  and  the  loosened  earth  showered  upon  his  dripping 
face  purple  with  agony ;  his  famished  eye  caught  sight 


COLONEL  KOSE'S   TUNNEL  AT   LIBBY  PEISON  223 

of  a  radiant  star  in  the  blue  vault  above  him ;  a  flood 
of  light  and  a  volume  of  cool,  delicious  air  poured  over 
him.  At  that  very  instant  the  sentinel's  cry  rang  out 
like  a  prophecy  —  "  Half -past  one,  and  all 's  well !  " 

Recovering    quickly   under    the    inspiring    air,   he 
dragged  his  body  out  of  the  hole  and  made  a  careful 


LIBERTY  ! 


survey  of  the  yard  in  which  he  found  himself.  He  was 
under  a  shed,  with  a  board  fence  between  him  and  the 
east-side  sentinels,  and  the  gable  end  of  Libby  loomed 
grimly  against  the  blue  sky.  He  found  the  wagon-way 
under  the  south-side  building  closed  from  the  street  by 
a  gate  fastened  by  a  swinging  bar,  which,  after  a  good 
many  efforts,  he  succeeded  in  opening.  This  was  the 
only  exit  to  the  street.  As  soon  as  the  nearest 
sentinel's  back  was  turned  he  stepped  out  and  walked 
quickly  to  the  east.  At  the  first  corner  he  turned 
north,  carefully  avoiding  the  sentinels  in  front  of  the 
"Pemberton  Buildings"  (another  military  prison  north- 


224       ADVENTUEES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

east  of  Libby),  and  at  the  corner  above  this  he  went 
westward,  then  south  to  the  edge  of  the  canal,  and 
thus,  by  cautions  moving,  made  a  minute  examination 
of  Libby  from  all  sides. 

Having  satisfied  his  desires,  he  retraced  his  steps  to 
the  yard.  He  hunted  up  an  old  bit  of  heavy  plank, 
crept  back  into  the  tunnel  feet  first,  drew  the  plank 
over  the  opening  to  conceal  it  from  the  notice  of  any 
possible  visitors  to  the  place,  and  crawled  back  to  Eat 
Hell.  McDonald  was  overjoyed,  and  poor  Johnson  al 
most  wept  with  delight,  as  Rose  handed  one  of  them 
his  victorious  old  chisel,  and  gave  the  other  some  trifle 
he  had  picked  up  in  the  outer  world  as  a  token  that 
the  Underground  Railroad  to  God's  Country  was  open. 

Rose  now  climbed  the  rope-ladder,  drew  it  up,  re 
built  the  fireplace  wall  as  usual,  and,  finding  Hamilton, 
took  him  over  near  one  of  the  windows  and  broke  the 
news  to  him.  The  brave  fellow  was  almost  speechless 
with  delight,  and  quickly  hunting  up  the  rest  of  the 
party,  told  them  that  Colonel  Rose  wanted  to  see  them 
down  in  the  dining-room. 

As  they  had  been  waiting  news  from  their  absent 
leader  with  feverish  anxiety  for  what  had  seemed  to 
them  all  the  longest  day  in  their  lives,  they  instantly 
responded  to  the  call,  and  flocked  around  Rose  a  few 
minutes  later  in  the  dark  kitchen  where  he  waited 
them.  As  yet  they  did  not  know  what  news  he 
brought,  and  they  could  scarcely  wait  for  him  to  speak 
out;  and  when  he  announced,  "  Boys,  the  tunnel  is  fin 
ished,"  they  could  hardly  repress  a  cheer.  They  wrung 
his  hand  again  and  again,  and  danced  about  with 
childish  joy. 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY  PRISON  225 

It  was  now  nearly  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Rose 
and  Hamilton  were  ready  to  go  out  at  once,  and  indeed 
were  anxious  to  do  so,  since  every  day  of  late  had 
brought  some  new  peril  to  their  plans.  None  of  the 
rest,  however,  were  ready;  and  all  urged  the  advantage 
of  having  a  whole  night  in  which  to  escape  through 
and  beyond  the  Richmond  fortifications,  instead  of  the 
few  hours  of  darkness  which  now  preceded  the  day. 
To  this  proposition  Rose  and  Hamilton  somewhat  re 
luctantly  assented.  It  was  agreed  that  each  man  of 
the  party  should  have  the  privilege  of  taking  one 
friend  into  his  confidence,  and  that  the  second  party  of 
fifteen  thus  formed  should  be  obligated  not  to  follow 
the  working  party  out  of  the  tunnel  until  an  hour  had 
elapsed.  Colonel  H.  C.  Hobart,  of  the  21st  Wisconsin, 
was  deputed  to  see  that  the  program  was  observed. 
He  was  to  draw  up  the  rope-ladder,  hide  it,  and  rebuild 
the  wall;  and  the  next  night  was  himself  to  lead  out  the 
second  party,  deputing  some  trustworthy  leader  to  fol 
low  with  still  another  party  on  the  third  night;  and 
thus  it  was  to  continue  until  as  many  as  possible 
should  escape. 

On  Tuesday  evening,  February  9,  at  seven  o'clock, 
Colonel  Rose  assembled  his  party  in  the  kitchen,  and, 
posting  himself  at  the  fireplace,  which  he  opened, 
waited  until  the  last  man  went  down.  He  bade  Colonel 
Hobart  good-by,  went  down  the  hole,  and  waited  until 
he  had  heard  his  comrade  pull  up  the  ladder,  and 
finally  heard  him  replace  the  bricks  in  the  fireplace  and 
depart.  He  now  crossed  Rat  Hell  to  the  entrance  into 
the  tunnel,  and  placed  the  party  in  the  order  in  which 
they  were  to  go  out.  He  gave  each  a  parting  caution, 


226       ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAK 

thanked  his  brave  comrades  for  their  faithful  labors, 
and,  feelingly  shaking  their  hands,  bade  them  God 
speed  and  farewell. 

He  entered  the  tunnel  first,  with  Hamilton  next,  and 
was  promptly  followed  by  the  whole  party  through  the 
tunnel  and  into  the  yard.  He  opened  the  gate  leading 
toward  the  canal,  and  signaled  the  party  that  all  was 
clear.  Stepping  out  on  the  sidewalk  as  soon  as  the 
nearest  sentinel's  back  was  turned,  he  walked  briskly 
down  the  street  to  the  east,  and  a  square  below  was 
joined  by  Hamilton.  The  others  followed  at  intervals 
of  a  few  minutes,  and  disappeared  in  various  directions 
in  groups  usually  of  three. 

The  plan  agreed  upon  between  Colonels  Rose  and 
Hobart  was  frustrated  by  information  of  the  party's 
departure  leaking  out;  and  before  nine  o'clock  the  know 
ledge  of  the  existence  of  the  tunnel  and  of  the  departure 
of  the  first  party  was  flashed  over  the  crowded  prison, 
which  was  soon  a  convention  of  excited  and  whispering 
men.  Colonel  Hobart  made  a  brave  effort  to  restore 
order,  but  the  frenzied  crowd  that  now  fiercely  strug 
gled  for  precedence  at  the  fireplace  was  beyond 
human  control. 

Some  of  them  had  opened  the  fireplace  and  were 
jumping  down  like  sheep  into  the  cellar  one  after 
another.  The  colonel  implored  the  maddened  men  at 
least  to  be  quiet,  and  put  the  rope-ladder  in  position 
and  escaped  himself. 

My  companion,  Sprague,  was  already  asleep  when  I 
lay  down  that  night ;  but  my  other  companion,  Duen- 
kel,  who  had  been  hunting  for  me,  was  very  much 
awake,  and,  seizing  me  by  the  collar,  he  whispered  ex- 


COLONEL  HOSE'S   TUNNEL   AT  LIBBY  PRISON  227 

citedly  the  fact  that  Colonel  Rose  had  gone  out  at  the 
head  of  a  party  through  a  tunnel.  For  a  brief  moment 
the  appalling  suspicion  that  my  friend's  reason  had 
been  dethroned  by  illness  and  captivity  swept  over  my 
rnind ;  but  a  glance  toward  the  window  at  the  east  end 
showed  a  quiet  but  apparently  excited  group  of  men 
from  other  rooms,  and  I  now  observed  that  several  of 
them  were  bundled  up  for  a  march.  The  hope  of  re 
gaining  liberty  thrilled  me  like  a  current  of  electricity. 
Looking  through  the  window,  I  could  see  the  escaping 
men  appear  one  by  one  on  the  sidewalk  below,  opposite 
the  exit  yard,  and  silently  disappear,  without  hin 
drance  or  challenge  by  the  prison  sentinels.  While  I 
was  eagerly  surveying  this  scene,  I  lost  track  of  Duen- 
kel,  who  had  gone  in  search  of  further  information,  but 
ran  against  Lieutenant  Harry  Wilcox,  of  the  1st  New 
York,  whom  I  knew,  and  who  appeared  to  have  the 
"tip"  regarding  the  tunnel.  Wilcox  and  I  agreed  to 
unite  our  fortunes  in  the  escape.  My  shoes  were  nearly 
worn  out,  and  my  clothes  were  thin  and  ragged.  I  was 
ill  prepared  for  a  journey  in  midwinter  through  the 
enemy's  country:  happily  I  had  my  old  overcoat,  and 
this  I  put  on.  I  had  not  a  crumb  of  food  saved  up,  as 
did  those  who  were  posted  ;  but  as  I  was  ill  at  the  time, 
my  appetite  was  feeble. 

Wilcox  and  I  hurried  to  the  kitchen,  where  we  found 
several  hundred  men  struggling  to  be  first  at  the  open 
ing  in  the  fireplace.  We  took  our  places  behind  them, 
and  soon  two  hundred  more  closed  us  tightly  in  the 
mass.  The  room  was  pitch-dark,  and  the  sentinel  could 
be  seen  through  the  door- cracks,  within  a  dozen  feet  of 
us.  The  fight  for  precedence  was  savage,  though  no  one 


228       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAK 

spoke;  but  now  and  then  fainting  men  begged  to  be 
released.  They  begged  in  vain :  certainly  some  of  them 
must  have  been  permanently  injured.  For  my  own 
part,  when  I  neared  the  stove  I  was  nearly  suffocated; 
but  I  took  heart  when  I  saw  but  three  more  men  be 
tween  me  and  the  hole.  At  this  moment  a  sound  as  of 
tramping  feet  was  heard,  and  some  idiot  on  the  outer 
edge  of  the  mob  startled  us  with  the  cry,  "  The  guards, 
the  guards ! "  A  fearful  panic  ensued,  and  the  entire 
crowd  bounded  toward  the  stairway  leading  up  to 
their  sleeping-quarters.  The  stairway  was  unbanis- 
tered,  and  some  of  the  men  were  forced  off  the  edge  and 
fell  on  those  beneath.  I  was  among  the  lightest  in 
that  crowd;  and  when  it  broke  and  expanded  I  was 
taken  off  my  feet,  dashed  to  the  floor  senseless,  my 
head  and  one  of  my  hands  bruised  and  cut,  and  my 
shoulder  painfully  injured  by  the  boots  of  the  men  who 
rushed  over  me.  When  I  gathered  my  swimming  wits 
I  was  lying  in  a  pool  of  water.  The  room  seemed  darker 
than  before  ;  and,  to  my  grateful  surprise,  I  was  alone. 
I  was  now  convinced  that  it  was  a  false  alarm,  and 
quickly  resolved  to  avail  myself  of  the  advantage  of 
having  the  whole  place  to  myself.  I  entered  the  cavity 
feet  first,  but  found  it  necessary  to  remove  my  overcoat 
and  push  it  through  the  opening,  and  it  fell  in  the 
darkness  below. 

I  had  now  no  comrade,  having  lost  Wilcox  in  the 
stampede.  Rose  and  his  party,  being  the  first  out, 
were  several  hours  on  their  journey ;  and  I  burned  to 
be  away,  knowing  well  that  my  salvation  depended  on 
my  passage  beyond  the  city  defenses  before  the  pursu 
ing  guards  were  on  our  trail,  when  the  inevitable  dis- 


COLONEL   HOSE'S    TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PRISON  229 

covery  should  come  at  roll-call.  The  fact  that  I  was 
alone  I  regretted ;  but  I  had  served  with  McClellan  in 
the  Peninsula  campaign  of  1862,  I  knew  the  country 
well  from  my  frequent  inspection  of  war  maps,  and  the 
friendly  north  star  gave  me  my  bearings.  The  rope- 
ladder  had  either  become  broken  or  disarranged,  but  it 
afforded  me  a  short  hold  at  the  top ;  so  I  balanced  my 
self,  trusted  to  fortune,  and  fell  into  Eat  Hell,  which 
was  a  rayless  pit  of  darkness,  swarming  with  squealing 
rats,  several  of  which  I  must  have  killed  in  my  fall.  I 
felt  a  troop  of  them  run  over  my  face  and  hands  be 
fore  I  could  regain  my  feet.  Several  times  I  put  my 
hand  on  them,  and  once  I  flung  one  from  my  shoulder. 
Groping  around,  I  found  a  stout  stick  or  stave,  put  my 
back  to  the  wall,  and  beat  about  me  blindly  but  with 
vigor. 

In  spite  of  the  hurried  instructions  given  me  by 
Wilcox,  I  had  a  long  and  horrible  hunt  over  the  cold 
surface  of  the  cellar  walls  in  my  efforts  to  find  the 
entrance  to  the  tunnel ;  and  in  two  minutes  after  I 
began  feeling  my  way  with  my  hands  I  had  no  idea  in 
what  part  of  the  place  was  the  point  where  I  had 
fallen :  my  bearings  were  completely  lost,  and  I  must 
have  made  the  circuit  of  Eat  Hell  several  times.  At 
my  entrance  the  rats  seemed  to  receive  me  with  cheers 
sufficiently  hearty,  I  thought;  but  my  vain  efforts  to 
find  egress  seemed  to  kindle  anew  their  enthusiasm. 
They  had  received  large  reinforcements,  and  my 
march  around  was  now  received  with  deafening 
squeaks.  Finally,  my  exploring  hands  fell  upon  a  pair 
of  heels  which  vanished  at  my  touch.  Here  at  last  was 
the  narrow  road  to  freedom !  The  heels  proved  to  be 


230       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

the  property  of  Lieutenant  Charles  H.  Morgan,  21st 
Wisconsin,  a  Chickamauga  prisoner.  Just  ahead  of 
him  in  the  tunnel  was  Lieutenant  William  L.  Watson, 
of  the  same  company  and  regiment.  With  my  cut 


FIGHTING  THE  RATS. 


hand  and  bruised  shoulder,  the  passage  through  the 
cold,  narrow  grave  was  indescribably  horrible,  and 
when  I  reached  the  terminus  in  the  yard  I  was  sick 
and  faint.  The  passage  seemed  to  me  to  be  a  mile 
long;  but  the  crisp,  pure  air  and  the  first  glimpse 
of  freedom,  the  sweet  sense  of  being  out  of  doors,  and 
the  realization  that  I  had  taken  the  first  step  toward 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PRISON  231 

liberty  and  home,  had  a  magical  effect  in  my  restor 
ation. 

I  have  related  before,  in  a  published  reminiscence,1 
my  experience  and  that  of  my  two  companions  above 
named  in  the  journey  toward  the  Union  lines,  and  our 
recapture;  but  the  more  important  matter  relating 
to  the  plot  itself  has  never  been  published.  This 
is  the  leading  motive  of  this  article,  and  therefore  I 
will  not  intrude  the  details  of  my  personal  experience 
into  the  narrative.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  it  was 
a  chapter  of  hairbreadth  escapes,  hunger,  cold,  suffer 
ing,  and,  alas !  failure.  We  were  run  down  and  captured 
in  a  swamp  several  miles  north  of  Charlottesville,  and 
when  we  were  taken  our  captors  pointed  out  to  us  the 
smoke  over  a  Federal  outpost.  We  were  brought  back 
to  Libby,  and  put  in  one  of  the  dark,  narrow  dungeons. 
I  was  afterward  confined  in  Macori,  Georgia ;  Charles 
ton  and  Columbia,  South  Carolina;  and  in  Charlotte, 
North  Carolina.  After  a  captivity  of  just  a  year  and 
eight  months,  during  which  I  had  made  five  escapes 
and  was  each  time  retaken,  I  was  at  last  released  on 
March  1,  1865,  at  Wilmington,  North  Carolina. 

Great  was  the  panic  in  Libby  when  the  next  morn 
ing's  roll  revealed  to  the  astounded  Confederates  that 
109  of  their  captives  were  missing;  and  as  the  fireplace 
had  been  rebuilt  by  some  one  and  the  opening  of  the 
hole  in  the  yard  had  been  covered  by  the  last  man  who 
went  out,  no  human  trace  guided  the  keepers  toward 
a  solution  of  the  mystery.  The  Eichmond  papers  hav 
ing  announced  the  "  miraculous  "  escape  of  109  Yankee 
officers  from  Libby,  curious  crowds  flocked  thither  for 

i  "  Philadelphia  Times,"  October  28,  1882. 


232         ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

several  days,  until  some  one,  happening  to  remove  the 
plank  in  the  yard,  revealed  the  tunnel.  A  terrified 
negro  was  driven  into  the  hole  at  the  point  of  the 
bayonet,  and  thus  made  a  trip  to  Rat  Hell  that  nearly 
turned  him  white. 

Several  circumstances  at  this  time  combined  to  make 
this  escape  peculiarly  exasperating  to  the  Confederates. 
In  obedience  to  repeated  appeals  from  the  Richmond 
newspapers,  iron  bars  had  but  recently  been  fixed  in  all 
the  prison  windows  for  better  security,  and  the  guard 
had  been  considerably  reinforced.  The  columns  of 
these  same  journals  had  just  been  aglow  with  accounts 
of  the  daring  and  successful  escape  of  the  Confederate 
General  John  Morgan  and  his  companions  from  the 
Columbus  (Ohio)  jail.  Morgan  had  arrived  in  Rich 
mond  on  the  8th  of  January,  exactly  a  month  prior  to 
the  completion  of  the  tunnel,  and  was  still  the  lion  of 
the  Confederate  capital. 

At  daylight  a  plank  was  seen  suspended  on  the  out 
side  of  the  east  wall;  this  was  fastened  by  a  blanket- 
rope  to  one  of  the  window-bars,  and  was,  of  course,  a 
trick  to  mislead  the  Confederates.  G-eneral  John  H. 
Winder,  then  in  charge  of  all  the  prisoners  in  the  Con 
federacy,  with  his  headquarters  in  Richmond,  was 
furious  when  the  news  reached  him.  After  a  careful 
external  examination  of  the  building,  and  a  talk,  not  of 
the  politest  kind,  with  Major  Turner,  he  reached  the 
conclusion  that  such  an  escape  had  but  one  explanation 
— the  guards  had  been  bribed.  Accordingly  the  sen 
tinels  on  duty  were  marched  off  under  arrest  to  Castle 
Thunder,  where  they  were  locked  up  and  searched  for 
"  greenbacks."  The  thousand  and  more  prisoners  still 


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234       ADVENTUKES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAE 

in  Libby  were  compensated,  in  a  measure,  for  their  fail 
ure  to  escape  by  the  panic  they  saw  among  the  "Rebs." 
Messengers  and  despatches  were  soon  flying  in  all  di 
rections,  and  all  the  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons  of  Rich 
mond  were  in  pursuit  of  the  fugitives  before  noon. 
Only  one  man  of  the  whole  escaping  party  was  retaken 
inside  of  the  city  limits.1  Of  the  109  who  got  out  that 
night,  59  reached  the  Union  lines,  48  were  recaptured, 
and  2  were  drowned. 

Colonel  Streight  and  several  other  officers  who  had 
been  chosen  by  the  diggers  of  the  tunnel  to  follow  them 
out,  in  accordance  with  the  agreement  already  referred 
to,  lay  concealed  for  a  week  in  a  vacant  house,  where 
they  were  fed  by  loyal  friends,  and  escaped  to  the 
Federal  lines  when  the  first  excitement  had  abated. 

After  leaving  Libby,  Rose  and  Hamilton  turned 
northward  and  cautiously  walked  on  a  few  squares, 
when  suddenly  they  encountered  some  Confederates 
who  were  guarding  a  military  hospital.  Hamilton  re 
treated  quickly  and  ran  off  to  the  east ;  but  Rose,  who 
was  a  little  in  advance,  walked  boldly  by  on  the  op 
posite  walk,  and  was  not  challenged ;  and  thus  the  two 
friends  separated. 

Hamilton,  after  several  days  of  wandering  and  fearful 
exposure,  came  joyfully  upon  a  Union  picket  squad, 
received  the  care  he  painfully  needed,  and  was  soon  on 
his  happy  journey  home. 

Rose  passed  out  of  the  city  of  Richmond  to  the  York 
River  Railroad,  and  followed  its  track  to  the  Chick  a- 
hominy  bridge.  Finding  this  guarded,  he  turned  to 
the  right,  and  as  the  day  was  breaking  he  came  upon 

l  Captain  Gates,  of  the  33d  Ohio. 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIBBY   PRISON 


235 


a  camp  of  Confederate  cavalry.  His  blue  uniform  made 
it  exceedingly  dangerous  to  travel  in  daylight  in  this 
region;  and  seeing  a  large  sycamore  log  that  was  hol 
low,  he  crawled  into  it.  The  February  air  was  keen 
and  biting,  but  he  kept  his  cramped  position  until  late 
in  the  afternoon;  and  all  day  he  could  hear  the  loud 
talk  in  the  camp  arid  the  neighing  of  the  horses. 


Vat»nt 
Lett. 


Vaemnt     Lett 


MUitmry 


Cuter  STREET. 


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Carpenter 

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Rut  Hell     , 

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t 

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iS 

GROUND-PLAN  OF  LIBBY  PRISON  AND   SURROUNDINGS. 

A.  Break  in  fireplace  on  floor  above ;  B.  End  of  tunnel ;  CCC.  Course 
of  party  escaping;  D.  Shed;  E.  Cook-room  (abandoned  Oct.,  '63);  F. 
Lumber-room;  G.  Office  of  James  River  Towing  Company ;  HH.  Gates; 
III.  Doors ;  J.  Cells  for  condemned  prisoners ;  K.  First  tunnel  (aban 
doned);  L.  Fence. 

Toward  night  he  came  cautiously  forth,  and  finding 
the  Chickahorniny  fordable  within  a  few  hundred 
yards,  he  succeeded  in  wading  across.  The  uneven  bed 
of  the  river,  however,  led  him  into  several  deep  holes, 
and  before  he  reached  the  shore  his  scanty  raiment 
was  thoroughly  soaked.  He  trudged  on  through  the 
woods  as  fast  as  his  stiffened  limbs  would  bear  him, 


236        ADVENTUBES   AND   ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL  WAE 

borne  up  by  the  hope  of  early  deliverance,  and  made  a 
brave  effort  to  shake  off  the  horrible  ague.  He  had 
not  gone  far,  however,  when  he  found  himself  again 
close  to  some  Confederate  cavalry,  and  was  compelled 
once  more  to  seek  a  hiding-place.  The  day  seemed 
of  interminable  length,  and  he  tried  vainly  in  sleep 
to  escape  from  hunger  and  cold.  His  teeth  chattered 
in  his  head,  and  when  he  rose  at  dark  to  continue  his 
journey  his  tattered  clothes  were  frozen  stiff.  In  this 
plight  he  pushed  on  resolutely,  and  was  obliged  to 
wade  to  his  waist  for  hundreds  of  yards  through  one 
of  those  deep  and  treacherous  morasses  that  proved 
such  deadly  fever-pools  for  McClellan's  army  in  the 
campaign  of  1862.  Finally  he  reached  the  high  ground, 
and  as  the  severe  exertion  had  set  his  blood  again  in 
motion  and  loosened  his  limbs,  he  was  making  better 
progress,  when  suddenly  he  found  himself  near  a  Con 
federate  picket.  This  picket  he  easily  avoided,  and, 
keeping  well  in  the  shadow  of  the  forest  and  shunning 
the  roads,  he  pressed  forward  with  increasing  hopes  of 
success.  He  had  secured  a  box  of  matches  before 
leaving  Libby ;  and  as  the  cold  night  came  on  and  he 
felt  that  he  was  really  in  danger  of  freezing  to  death, 
he  penetrated  into  the  center  of  the  cedar  grove  and 
built  a  fire  in  a  small  and  secluded  hollow.  He  felt 
that  this  was  hazardous,  but  the  necessity  was  des 
perate,  since  with  his  stiffened  limbs  he  could  no 
longer  move  along  fast  enough  to  keep  the  warmth  of 
life  in  his  body.  To  add  to  his  trouble,  his  foot,  which 
had  been  broken  in  Tennessee  previous  to  his  capture, 
was  now  giving  him  great  pain,  and  threatened  to 
cripple  him  wholly;  indeed,  it  would  stiffen  and  dis- 


COLONEL  ROSE'S   TUNNEL  AT   LIBBY  PEISON  237 

able  the  best  of  limbs  to  compass  the  journey  he  had 
made  in  darkness  over  strange,  uneven,  and  hard- 
frozen  ground,  and  through  rivers,  creeks,  and  bogs, 
and  this  without  food  or  warmth. 

The  fire  was  so  welcome  that  he  slept  soundly — so 
soundly  that  waking  in  the  early  morning  he  found  his 
boot-legs  and  half  his  uniform  burned  up,  the  ice  on 
the  rest  of  it  probably  having  prevented  its  total 
destruction. 

Resuming  his  journey  much  refreshed,  he  reached 
Crump's  Cross-roads,  where  he  successfully  avoided 
another  picket.  He  traveled  all  day,  taking  occasional 
short  rests,  and  before  dark  had  reached  New  Kent 
Court-house.  Here  again  he  saw  some  pickets,  but  by 
cautions  flanking  managed  to  pass  them ;  but  in  crossing 
an  open  space  a  little  farther  on  he  was  seen  by  a  cav 
alryman,  who  at  once  put  spurs  to  his  horse  and  rode 
up  to  Rose,  and,  saluting  him,  inquired  if  he  belonged 
to  the  New  Kent  Cavalry.  Rose  had  on  a  gray  cap, 
and  seeing  that  he  had  a  stupid  sort  of  fellow  to  deal 
with,  instantly  answered,  "Yes,"  whereupon  the  trooper 
turned  his  horse  and  rode  back.  A  very  few  moments 
were  enough  to  show  Rose  that  the  cavalry  man's  re 
port  had  failed  to  satisfy  his  comrades,  whom  he  could 
see  making  movements  for  his  capture.  He  plunged 
through  a  laurel  thicket,  and  had  no  sooner  emerged 
than  he  saw  the  Confederates  deploying  around  it  in 
confidence  that  their  game  was  bagged.  He  dashed  on 
as  fast  as  his  injured  foot  would  let  him,  and  entered 
a  tract  of  heavily  timbered  land  that  rose  to  the  east 
of  this  thicket.  At  the  border  of  the  grove  he  found 
another  picket  post,  and  barely  escaped  the  notice  of 


238        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

several  of  the  men.  The  only  chance  of  escape  lay 
through  a  wide,  clear  field  before  him,  and  even  this 
was  in  full  view  from  the  grove  that  bordered  it,  and 
this  he  knew  would  soon  swarm  with  his  pursuers. 

Across  the  center  of  this  open  field,  which  was  fully 
half  a  mile  wide,  a  ditch  ran,  which,  although  but  a 
shallow  gully,  afforded  a  partial  concealment.  Rose, 
who  could  now  hear  the  voices  of  the  Confederates 
nearer  and  nearer,  dove  into  the  ditch  as  the  only 
chance,  and  dropping  on  his  hands  and  knees  crept 
swiftly  forward  to  the  eastward.  In  this  cramped  po 
sition  his  progress  was  extremely  painful,  and  his 
hands  were  torn  by  the  briers  arid  stones ;  but  forward 
he  dashed,  fully  expecting  a  shower  of  bullets  every 
minute.  At  last  he  reached  the  other  end  of  the 
half-mile  ditch,  breathless  and  half  dead,  but  without 
having  once  raised  his  head  above  the  gully. 

Emerging  from  this  field,  he  found  himself  in  the 
Williamsburg  road,  and  bordering  the  opposite  side 
was  an  extensive  tract  thickly  covered  with  pines.  As 
he  crossed  and  entered  this  tract  he  looked  back  and 
could  see  his  enemies,  whose  movements  showed  that 
they  were  greatly  puzzled  and  off  the  scent.  When  at 
a  safe  distance  he  sought  a  hiding-place  and  took  a 
needed  rest  of  several  hours. 

He  then  resumed  his  journey,  and  followed  the  direc 
tion  of  the  Williamsburg  road,  which  he  found  pick 
eted  at  various  points,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to 
avoid  open  spaces.  Several  times  during  the  day  he 
saw  squads  of  Confederate  cavalry  passing  along  the 
road  so  near  that  he  could  hear  their  talk.  Near  night 
fall  he  reached  Diasen  Bridge,  where  he  successfully 


COLONEL  HOSE'S  TUNNEL  AT  LIBBY  PKISON  239 

passed  another  picket.  He  kept  on  until  nearly  mid 
night,  when  he  lay  down  by  a  great  tree  and,  cold  as 
he  was,  slept  soundly  until  daylight.  He  now  made  a 
careful  reconnoissance,  and  found  near  the  road  the 
ruins  of  an  old  building  which,  he  afterward  learned, 
was  called  "  Burnt  Ordinary." 

He  now  found  himself  almost  unable  to  walk  with 
his  injured  foot,  but,  nerved  by  the  yet  bright  hope  of 
liberty,  he  once  more  went  his  weary  way  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Williamsburg.  Finally  he  came  to  a  place  where 
there  were  some  smoking  fagots  and  a  number  of  tracks, 
indicating  it  to  have  been  a  picket  post  of  the  previous 
night.  He  was  now  nearing  Williamsburg,  which,  he 
was  inclined  to  believe  from  such  meager  information 
as  had  reached  Libby  before  his  departure,  was  in  pos 
session  of  the  Union  forces.  Still,  he  knew  that  this 
was  territory  that  was  frequently  changing  hands,  and 
was  therefore  likely  to  be  under  a  close  watch.  From 
this  on  he  avoided  the  roads  wholly,  and  kept  under 
cover  as  much  as  it  was  possible;  and  if  compelled  to 
cross  an  open  field  at  all,  he  did  so  in  a  stooping  posi 
tion.  He  was  now  moving  in  a  southeasterly  direc 
tion,  and  coming  again  to  the  margin  of  a  wide  opening, 
he  saw,  to  his  unutterable  joy,  a  body  of  Union  troops 
advancing  along  the  road  toward  him. 

Thoroughly  worn  out,  Eose,  believing  that  his  de 
liverers  were  at  hand,  sat  down  to  await  their  approach. 
His  pleasant  reverie  was  disturbed  by  a  sound  behind 
and  near  him,  and  turning  quickly  he  was  startled  to 
see  three  soldiers  in  the  road  along  which  the  troops 
first  seen  were  advancing.  The  fact  that  these  men 
had  not  been  noticed  before  gave  Eose  some  uneasiness 


240       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

for  a  moment;  but  as  they  wore  blue  uniforms,  and 
moreover  seemed  to  take  no  note  of  the  approaching 
Federal  troops,  all  things  seemed  to  indicate  that  they 
were  simply  an  advanced  detail  of  the  same  body.  This 
seemed  to  be  further  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  the  trio 
were  now  moving  down  the  road,  apparently  with  the 
intent  of  joining  the  larger  body;  and  as  the  ground 
to  the  east  rose  to  a  crest,  both  of  the  bodies  were  a 
minute  later  shut  off  from  Rose's  view. 

In  the  full  confidence  that  all  was  right  he  rose  to 
his  feet  and  walked  toward  the  crest  to  get  a  better 
view  of  everything  and  greet  his  comrades  of  the  loyal 
blue.  A  walk  of  a  hundred  yards  brought  him  again 
in  sight  of  the  three  men,  who  now  noticed  and 
challenged  him. 

In  spite  of  appearances  a  vague  suspicion  forced  it 
self  upon  Rose,  who,  however,  obeyed  the  summons  and 
continued  to  approach  the  party,  who  now  watched 
him  with  fixed  attention.  As  he  came  closer  to  the 
group,  the  brave  but  unfortunate  soldier  saw  that  he 
was  lost. 

For  the  first  time  the  three  seemed  to  be  made  aware 
of  the  approach  of  the  Federals,  and  to  show  conse 
quent  alarm  and  haste.  The  unhappy  Rose  saw  before 
the  men  spoke  that  their  blue  uniform  was  a  disguise, 
and  the  discovery  brought  a  savage  expression  to  his 
lips.  He  hoped  and  tried  to  convince  his  captors  that 
he  was  a  Confederate,  but  all  in  vain ;  they  retained 
him  as  their  prisoner,  and  now  told  him  that  they  were 
Confederates.  Rose,  in  the  first  bitter  moment  of  his 
misfortune,  thought  seriously  of  breaking  away  to  his 
friends  so  temptingly  near ;  but  his  poor  broken  foot 
and  the  slender  chance  of  escaping  three  bullets  at  a 


COLONEL   ROSE'S   TUNNEL   AT   LIEBY   PEISON          241 

few  yards  made  this  suicide,  and  he  decided  to  wait  for 
a  better  chance,  and  this  came  sooner  than  he  expected. 

One  of  the  men  appeared  to  be  an  officer,  who  de 
tailed  one  of  his  companions  to  conduct  Eose  to  the  rear 
in  the  direction  of  Richmond.  The  prisoner  went 
quietly  with  his  guard,  the  other  two  men  tarried  a 
little  to  watch  the  advancing  Federals,  and  now  Rose 
began  to  limp  like  a  man  who  was  unable  to  go  farther. 
Presently  the  ridge  shut  them  off  from  the  view  of 
the  others.  Rose,  who  had  slyly  been  staggering  closer 
and  closer  to  the  guard,  suddenly  sprang  upon  the  man, 
and  before  he  had  time  to  wink  had  twisted  his  gun 
from  his  grasp,  discharged  it  into  the  air,  flung  it  down, 
and  ran  off  as  fast  as  his  poor  foot  would  let  him 
toward  the  east  and  so  as  to  avoid  the  rest  of  the  Con 
federates.  The  disarmed  Confederate  made  no  attempt 
at  pursuit,  nor  indeed  did  the  other  two,  who  were  now 
seen  retreating  at  a  run  across  the  adjacent  fields. 

Rose's  heart  bounded  with  new  hope,  for  he  felt  that 
he  would  be  with  his  advancing  comrades  in  a  few 
minutes  at  most.  All  at  once  a  squad  of  Confederates, 
hitherto  unseen,  rose  up  in  his  very  path,  and  beat  him 
down  with  the  butts  of  their  muskets.  All  hands  now 
rushed  around  and  secured  him,  and  one  of  the  men 
called  out  excitedly,  "Hurry  up,  boys;  the  Yankees 
are  right  here  ! "  They  rushed  their  prisoner  into  the 
wooded  ravine,  and  here  they  were  joined  by  the  man 
whom  Rose  had  just  disarmed.  He  was  in  a  savage 
mood,  and  declared  it  to  be  his  particular  desire  to  fill 
Rose  full  of  Confederate  lead.  The  officer  in  charge 
rebuked  the  man,  however,  and  compelled  him  to  cool 
down,  and  he  went  along  with  an  injured  air  that 
excited  the  merriment  of  his  comrades. 


242        ADVENTURES    AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE    CIVIL   WAR 

The  party  continued  its  retreat  to  Barhamsville, 
thence  to  the  White  House  on  the  Pamunkey  River, 
and  finally  to  Richmond,  where  Rose  was  again  re 
stored  to  Libby,  and,  like  the  writer,  was  confined  for 
a  number  of  days  in  a  narrow  and  loathsome  cell.  On 
the  30th  of  April  his  exchange  was  effected  for  a 
Confederate  colonel,  and  on  the  6th  of  July,  1864, 
he  rejoined  his  regiment,  in  which  he  served  with 
conspicuous  gallantry  to  the  close  of  the  war. 

As  already  stated,  Hamilton  reached  the  Union  lines 
safely  after  many  vicissitudes,  and  did  brave  service  in 
the  closing  scenes  of  the  rebellion.  He  is  now  a  resi  - 
dent  of  Reedy ville,  Kentucky.  Johnson,  whose  en 
forced  confinement  in  Rat  Hell  gave  him  a  unique 
fame  in  Libby,  also  made  good  his  escape,  and  now 
lives  at  North  Pleasantville,  Kentucky. 

Of  the  fifteen  men  who  dug  the  successful  tunnel, 
four  are  dead,  viz. :  Fitzsimmons,  Gallagher,  Garbett, 
and  McDonald.  Captain  W.  S.  B.  Randall  lives  at 
Hillsboro,  Highland  County,  Ohio ;  Colonel  Terrance 
Clark  at  Paris,  Edgar  County,  Illinois;  Captain  Eli 
Foster  at  Chicago ;  Colonel  N.  S.  McKean  at  Collins- 
ville,  Madison  County,  Illinois ;  and  Captain  J.  C.  Fis- 
lar  at  Lewiston,  I.  T.  The  addresses  of  Captains  Lucas, 
Simpson,  and  Mitchell  are  unknown  at  this  writing. 

Colonel  Rose  has  served  faithfully  almost  since  the 
end  of  the  war  with  the  16th  United  States  Infantry, 
in  which  he  holds  a  captain's  commission.  No  one 
meeting  him  now  would  hear  from  his  reticent  lips,  or 
read  in  his  placid  face,  the  thrilling  story  that  links 
his  name  in  so  remarkable  a  manner  with  the  history 
of  the  famous  Bastile  of  the  Confederacy, 


A  HARD  ROAD  TO   TRAVEL  OUT   OF  DIXIE 

BY   W.   H.    SHELTON 

IT  was  past  noon  of  the  first  day  of  the  bloody  con 
test  in  the  Wilderness.  The  guns  of  the  Fifth 
Corps,  led  by  Battery  D  of  the  1st  New  York  Artillery, 
were  halted  along  the  Orange  turnpike,  by  which  we 
had  made  the  fruitless  campaign  to  Mine  Run.  The 
continuous  roar  of  musketry  in  front  and  to  the  left 
indicated  that  the  infantry  was  desperately  engaged, 
while  the  great  guns  filling  every  wooded  road  leading 
up  to  the  battle-field  were  silent.  Our  drivers  were 
lounging  about  the  horses,  while  the  cannoneers  lay  on 
the  green  grass  by  the  roadside  or  walked  by  the 
pieces.  Down  the  line  came  an  order  for  the  center 
section,  under  my  command,  to  advance  and  pass  the 
right  section,  which  lay  in  front  of  us.  General  War 
ren,  surrounded  by  his  staff,  sat  on  a  gray  horse  at  the 
right  of  the  road  where  the  woods  bordered  an  open 
field  dipping  between  two  wooded  ridges.  The  position 
we  were  leaving  was  admirable,  while  the  one  to  which 
we  were  ordered,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  narrow 
field,  was  wholly  impracticable.  The  captain  had  re 
ceived  his  orders  in  person  from  General  Warren,  and 
joined  my  command  as  we  passed. 

We  dashed  down  the  road  at  a  trot,  the  cannoneers 
running  beside  their  pieces.    At  the  center  of  the  field 


2-13 


244       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL 

we  crossed  by  a  wooden  bridge  over  a  deep,  dry  ditch, 
and  came  rapidly  into  position  at  the  side  of  the  turn 
pike  and  facing  the  thicket.  As  the  cannoneers  were 
not  all  up,  the  captain  and  I  dismounted  and  lent  a 
hand  in  swinging  round  the  heavy  trails.  The  air  was 
full  of  Minie  balls,  some  whistling  by  like  mad  hornets, 
and  others,  partly  spent,  humming  like  big  nails.  One 
of  the  latter  struck  my  knee  with  force  enough  to 
wound  the  bone  without  penetrating  the  grained- 
leather  boot-leg.  In  front  of  us  the  ground  rose  into 
the  timber  where  our  infantry  was  engaged.  It  was 
madness  to  continue  firing  here,  for  my  shot  must  first 
plow  through  our  own  lines  before  reaching  the  en 
emy.  So  after  one  discharge  the  captain  ordered  the 
limbers  to  the  rear,  and  the  section  started  back  at  a 
gallop.  My  horse  was  cut  on  the  flanks,  and  his  plung 
ing,  with  my  disabled  knee,  delayed  me  in  mounting, 
and  prevented  my  seeing  why  the  carriages  kept  to 
the  grass  instead  of  getting  upon  the  roadway.  When 
I  overtook  the  guns  they  had  come  to  a  forced  halt  at 
the  dry  ditch,  now  full  of  skulkers,  an  angle  of  which 
cut  the  way  to  the  bridge.  Brief  as  the  interval  had 
been,  not  a  man  of  my  command  was  in  sight.  The 
lead  horse  of  the  gun  team  at  my  side  had  been  shot 
and  was  reeling  in  the  harness.  Slipping  to  the 
ground,  I  untoggled  one  trace  at  the  collar  to  release 
him,  and  had  placed  my  hand  on  the  other  when  I 
heard  the  demand  "  Surrender ! "  and  turning  found  in 
my  face  two  big  pistols  in  the  hands  of  an  Alabama 
colonel.  "  Give  me  that  sword,"  said  he.  I  pressed  the 
clasp  and  let  it  fall  to  the  ground,  where  it  remained. 
The  colonel  had  taken  me  by  the  right  arm,  and  as  we 


A   HAKD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  245 

turned  toward  the  road  I  took  in  the  whole  situation 
at  a  glance.  My  chestnut  horse  and  the  captain's  bald- 
faced  brown  were  dashing  frantically  against  the  long, 
swaying  gun  teams.  By  the  bridge  stood  a  company 
of  the  61st  Alabama  Infantry  in  butternut  suits  and 
slouch-hats,  shooting  straggling  and  wounded  Zou 
aves  from  a  Pennsylvania  brigade  as  they  appeared 
in  groups  of  two  or  three  on  the  road  in  front.  The  col 
onel  as  he  handed  me  over  to  his  men  ordered  his 
troops  to  take  what  prisoners  they  could  and  to  cease 
firing.  The  guns  which  we  were  forced  to  abandon 
were  a  bone  of  contention  until  they  were  secured  by 
the  enemy  on  the  third  day,  at  which  time  but  one  of 
the  twenty-four  team  horses  was  living. 

With  a  few  other  prisoners  I  was  led  by  a  short  de 
tour  through  the  woods.  In  ten  minutes  we  had 
turned  the  flank  of  both  armies  and  reached  the  same 
turnpike  in  the  rear  of  our  enemy.  A  line  of  ambu 
lances  was  moving  back  on  the  road,  all  filled  with 
wounded,  and  when  we  saw  a  vacant  seat  beside  a 
driver  I  was  hoisted  up  to  the  place.  The  boy  driver 
was  in  a  high  state  of  excitement.  He  said  that  two 
shells  had  come  flying  down  this  same  road,  and  showed 
where  the  trace  of  the  near  mule  had  been  cut  by  a 
piece  of  shell,  for  which  I  was  directly  responsible. 

The  field  hospital  of  General  Jubal  Early's  corps 
was  near  Locust  Grove  Tavern,  where  the  wounded 
Yankees  were  in  charge  of  Surgeon  Donnelly  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Reserves.  No  guard  was  established,  as 
no  one  was  supposed  to  be  in  condition  to  run  away. 
At  the  end  of  a  week,  however,  my  leg  had  greatly  im 
proved,  although  I  was  still  unable  to  use  it.  In  our 


246       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

party  was  another  lieutenant,  an  aide  on  the  staff  of 
General  James  C.  Rice,  whose  horse  had  been  shot 
under  him  while  riding  at  full  speed  with  despatches. 
Lieutenant  Hadley  had  returned  to  consciousness  to 
find  himself  a  prisoner  in  hospital,  somewhat  bruised, 
and  robbed  of  his  valuables,  but  not  otherwise  dis 
abled.  We  two  concluded  to  start  for  Washington 
by  way  of  Kelly's  Ford.  I  traded  my  penknife  for  a 
haversack  of  corn-bread  with  one  of  the  Confederate 
nurses,  and  a  wounded  officer,  Colonel  Miller  of  a  New 
York  regiment,  gave  us  a  pocket  compass.  I  provided 
myself  with  a  stout  pole,  which  I  used  with  both  hands 
in  lieu  of  my  left  foot.  At  9  p.  M.  we  set  out,  passing 
during  the  night  the  narrow  field  and  the  dry  ditch 
where  I  had  left  my  guns.  Only  a  pile  of  dead  horses 
marked  the  spot. 

On  a  grassy  bank  we  captured  a  firefly  and  shut  him 
in  between  the  glass  and  the  face  of  our  pocket  com 
pass.  With  such  a  guide  we  shaped  our  course  for  the 
Rapidan.  After  traveling  nearly  all  night  we  lay  down 
exhausted  upon  a  bluff  within  sound  of  the  river,  and 
slept  until  sunrise.  Hastening  to  our  feet  again,  we 
hurried  down  to  the  ford.  Just  before  reaching  the 
river  we  heard  shouts  behind  us,  and  saw  a  man  beck 
oning  and  running  after  us.  Believing  the  man  an 
enemy,  we  dashed  into  the  shallow  water,  and  after 
crossing  safely  hobbled  away  up  the  other  side  as  fast 
as  a  man  with  one  leg  and  a  pole  could  travel.  I  after 
ward  met  this  man,  himself  a  prisoner,  at  Macon, 
Georgia.  He  was  the  officer  of  our  pickets,  and  would 
have  conducted  us  into  our  lines  if  we  had  permitted 
him  to  come  up  with  us.  As  it  was,  we  found  a  snug 


A  HAED   ROAD  TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF  DIXIE  247 

hiding-place  in  a  thicket  of  swamp  growth,  where  we 
lay  in  concealment  all  day.  After  struggling  on  a  few 
miles  in  a  chilling  rain,  my  leg  became  so  painful  that 
it  was  impossible  to  go  farther.  A  house  was  near 
by,  and  we  threw  ourselves  on  the  mercy  of  the  family. 
Good  Mrs.  Brandon  had  harbored  the  pickets  of  both 
armies  again  and  again,  and  had  luxuriated  in  real 
coffee  and  tea  and  priceless  salt  at  the  hands  of  our 
officers.  She  bore  the  Yankees  only  good- will,  and  after 
dressing  my  wound  we  sat  down  to  breakfast  with 
herself  and  daughters. 

After  breakfast  we  were  conducted  to  the  second 
half-story,  which  was  one  unfinished  room.  There  was 
a  bed  in  one  corner,  where  we  were  to  sleep.  Beyond 
the  stairs  was  a  pile  of  yellow  ears  of  corn,  and  from 
the  rafters  and  sills  hung  a  variety  of  dried  herbs  and 
medicinal  roots.  Here  our  meals  were  served,  and  the 
girls  brought  us  books  and  read  aloud  to  pass  away 
the  long  days.  I  was  confined  to  the  bed,  and  my 
companion  never  ventured  below  stairs  except  on  one 
dark  night,  when  at  my  earnest  entreaty  he  set  out  for 
Kelly's  Ford,  but  soon  returned  unable  to  make  his 
way  in  the  darkness.  One  day  we  heard  the  door  open 
at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  a  tread  of  heavy  boots  on  the 
steps,  and  a  clank,  clank  that  sounded  very  much 
like  a  saber.  Out  of  the  floor  rose  a  gray  slouch-hat 
with  the  yellow  cord  and  tassel  of  a  cavalryman,  and 
in  another  moment  there  stood  on  the  landing  one  of 
the  most  astonished  troopers  that  ever  was  seen. 
"Coot"  Brandon  was  one  of  uJeb"  Stuart's  rangers, 
and  came  every  day  for  corn  for  his  horse.  Heretofore 
the  corn  had  been  brought  down  for  him,  and  he  was 


248       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

as  ignorant  of  our  presence  as  we  were  of  his  existence. 
On  this  day  no  pretext  could  keep  him  from  coming 
up  to  help  himself.  His  mother  worked  on  his  sym 
pathies,  and  he  departed  promising  her  that  he  would 
leave  us  undisturbed.  But  the  very  next  morning  he 
turned  up  again,  this  time  accompanied  by  another 
ranger  of  sterner  mold.  A  parole  was  exacted  from  my 
able-bodied  companion,  and  we  were  left  for  another 
twenty-four  hours,  when  I  was  considered  in  condi 
tion  to  be  moved.  Mrs.  Brandon  gave  us  each  a  new 
blue  overcoat  from  a  plentiful  store  of  Uncle  Sam's 
clothing  she  had  on  hand,  and  I  opened  my  heart 
and  gave  her  my  last  twenty-dollar  greenback  —  and 
wished  I  had  it  back  again  every  day  for  the  next 
ten  months. 

I  was  mounted  on  a  horse,  and  with  Lieutenant  Had- 
ley  on  foot  we  were  marched  under  guard  all  day  until 
we  arrived  at  a  field  hospital  established  in  the  rear  of 
Longstreet's  corps,  my  companion  being  sent  on  to 
some  prison  for  officers.  Thence  I  was  forwarded  with 
a  train-load  of  wounded  to  Lynchburg,  on  which  Gen 
eral  Hunter  was  then  marching,  and  we  had  good  rea 
son  to  hope  for  a  speedy  deliverance.  On  more  than 
one  day  we  heard  his  guns  to  the  north,  where  there 
was  no  force  but  a  few  citizens  with  bird-guns  to 
oppose  the  entrance  of  his  command.  The  slaves  were 
employed  on  a  line  of  breastworks  which  there  was  no 
adequate  force  to  hold.  It  was  our  opinion  that  one 
well-disciplined  regiment  could  have  captured  and 
held  the  town.  It  was  several  days  before  a  portion 
of  General  Breckin ridge's  command  arrived  for  the 
defense  of  Lynchburg. 


A  HAKD   KOAD   TO   TKAVEL   OUT   OF  DIXIE  249 

I  had  clung  to  my  clean  bed  in  the  hospital  just  as 
long  as  rny  rapidly  healing  wound  would  permit,  but 
was  soon  transferred  to  a  prison  where  at  night  the 
sleepers — Yankees,  Confederate  deserters,  and  ne 
groes — were  so  crowded  upon  the  floor  that  some  lay 
under  the  feet  of  the  guards  in  the  doorways.  The  at 
mosphere  was  dreadful.  I  fell  ill,  and  for  three  days 
lay  with  my  head  in  the  fireplace,  more  dead  than 
alive. 

A  few  days  thereafter  about  three  hundred  prisoners 
were  crowded  into  cattle-cars  bound  for  Andersonville. 
We  must  have  been  a  week  on  this  railroad  journey 
when  an  Irish  lieutenant  of  a  Rochester  regiment  and 
I,  who  had  been  allowed  to  ride  in  the  baggage-car, 
were  taken  from  the  train  at  Macon,  Georgia,  where 
about  sixteen  hundred  Union  officers  were  confined  at 
the  fair-grounds.  General  Alexander  Shaler,  of  Sedg- 
wick's  corps,  also  captured  at  the  Wilderness,  was  the 
ranking  officer,  and  to  him  was  accorded  a  sort  of  in 
terior  command  of  the  camp.  Before  passing  through 
the  gate  we  expected  to  see  a  crowd  bearing  some  out 
ward  semblance  of  respectability.  Instead,  we  were 
instantly  surrounded  by  several  hundred  ragged,  bare 
footed,  frowzy-headed  men  shouting  "  Fresh  fish  ! "  at 
the  top  of  their  voices  and  eagerly  asking  for  news. 
With  rare  exceptions  all  were  shabbily  dressed.  There 
was,  however,  a  little  knot  of  naval  officers  who  had 
been  captured  in  the  windings  of  the  narrow  Rappa- 
hannock  by  a  force  of  cavalry,  and  who  were  the  aristo 
crats  of  the  camp.  They  were  housed  in  a  substantial 
fair-building  in  the  center  of  the  grounds,  and  by  some 
special  terms  of  surrender  must  have  brought  their 


250       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

complete  wardrobes  along.  On  hot  days  they  appeared 
in  spotless  white  duck,  which  they  were  permitted  to 
send  outside  to  be  laundered.  Their  mess  was  abun 
dantly  supplied  with  the  fruits  and  vegetables  of  the 
season.  The  ripe  red  tomatoes  they  were  daily  seen  to 
peel  were  the  envy  of  the  camp.  I  well  remember  that 
to  me,  at  this  time,  a  favorite  occupation  was  to  lie  on 
my  back  with  closed  eyes  and  imagine  the  dinner  I 
would  order  if  I  were  in  a  first-class  hotel.  It  was  no 
unusual  thing  to  see  a  dignified  colonel  washing  his 
lower  clothes  in  a  pail,  clad  only  in  his  uniform  dress- 
coat.  Ladies  sometimes  appeared  on  the  guard-walk 
outside  the  top  of  the  stockade,  on  which  occasions  the 
cleanest  and  best-dressed  men  turned  out  to  see  and  be 
seen.  I  was  quite  proud  to  appear  in  a  clean  gray 
shirt,  spotless  white  drawers,  and  moccasins  made  of 
blue  overcoat  cloth. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July,  after  the  regular  morning 
count,  we  repaired  to  the  big  central  building  and  held 
an  informal  celebration.  One  officer  had  brought  into 
captivity,  concealed  on  his  person,  a  little  silk  national 
flag,  which  was  carried  up  into  the  cross-beams  of  the 
building,  and  the  sight  of  it  created  the  wildest  enthu 
siasm.  We  cheered  the  flag  and  applauded  the  patri 
otic  speeches  until  a  detachment  of  the  guard  succeeded 
in  putting  a  stop  to  our  proceedings.  They  tried  to 
capture  the  flag,  but  in  this  they  were  not  successful. 
We  were  informed  that  cannon  were  planted  command 
ing  the  camp,  and  would  be  opened  on  us  if  we  renewed 
our  demonstrations. 

Soon  after  this  episode  the  fall  of  Atlanta  and  the 
subsequent  movements  of  General  Sherman  led  to  the 


A  HAED  EOAD   TO   TEAVEL  OUT   OF  DIXIE  251 

breaking  up  of  the  cainp  at  Macon,  and  to  the  transfer 
of  half  of  us  to  a  camp  at  Charleston,  and  half  to  Savan 
nah.  Late  in  September,  by  another  transfer,  we  found 
ourselves  together  again  at  Columbia.  We  had  no  form 
of  shelter,  and  there  was  no  stockade  around  the  camp, 
only  a  guard  and  a  dead-line.  During  two  hours  of 
each  morning  an  extra  line  of  guards  was  stationed 
around  an  adjoining  piece  of  pine  woods,  into  which 
we  were  allowed  to  go  and  cut  wood  and  timber  to  con 
struct  for  ourselves  huts  for  the  approaching  winter. 
Our  ration  at  this  time  consisted  of  raw  corn-meal  and 
sorghum  molasses,  without  salt  or  any  provision  of 
utensils  for  cooking.  The  camp  took  its  name  from 
our  principal  article  of  diet,  and  was  by  common  con 
sent  known  as  "  Camp  Sorghum."  A  stream  of  clear 
Welter  was  accessible  during  the  day  by  an  extension  of 
the  guards,  but  at  night  the  lines  were  so  contracted  as 
to  leave  the  path  leading  to  the  water  outside  the  guard. 
Lieutenant  S.  H.  M.  Byers,  who  had  already  written 
the  well-known  lyric  "  Sherman's  March  to  the  Sea," 
was  sharing  my  tent,  which  consisted  of  a  ragged 
blanket.  We  had  been  in  the  new  camp  but  little  more 
than  a  week  when  we  determined  to  make  an  attempt  at 
escape.  Preparatory  to  starting  we  concealed  two  tin 
cups  and  two  blankets  in  the  pine  woods  to  which  we 
had  access  during  the  chopping  hours,  and  here  was  to 
be  our  rendezvous  in  case  we  were  separated  in  getting 
out.  Covering  my  shoulders  with  an  old  gray  blanket 
and  providing  myself  with  a  stick,  about  the  size  of  a 
gun,  from  the  woodpile,  I  tried  to  smuggle  myself  into 
the  relief  guard  when  the  line  was  contracted  at  six 
o'clock.  Unfortunately  an  unexpected  halt  was  called, 


252        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

and  the  soldier  in  front  turned  and  discovered  me. 
I  was  now  more  than  ever  determined  on  getting  away. 
After  a  hurried  conference  with  Lieutenant  Byers, 
at  which  I  promised  to  wait  at  our  rendezvous  in  the 
woods  until  I  heard  the  posting  of  the  ten-o'clock 
relief,  I  proceeded  alone  up  the  side  of  the  camp  to  a 
point  w^here  a  group  of  low  cedars  grew  close  to  the 
dead-line.  Concealing  myself  in  their  dark  shadow,  I 
could  observe  at  my  leisure  the  movements  of  the  sen 
tinels.  A  full  moon  was  just  rising  above  the  horizon 
to  my  left,  and  in  the  soft,  misty  light  the  guards  were 
plainly  visible  for  a  long  distance  either  way.  An  open 
field  from  which  the  small  growth  had  been  recently 
cut  away  lay  beyond,  and  between  the  camp  and  the 
guard-line  ran  a  broad  road  of  soft  sand —  noiseless  to 
cross,  but  so  white  in  the  moonlight  that  a  leaf  blown 
across  it  by  the  wind  could  scarcely  escape  a  vigilant 
eye.  The  guards  were  bundled  in  their  overcoats,  and 
I  soon  observed  that  the  two  who  met  opposite  to  my 
place  of  concealment  turned  and  walked  their  short 
beats  without  looking  back.  Waiting  until  they  sepa 
rated  again,  and  regardless  of  the  fact  that  I  might  with 
equal  likelihood  be  seen  by  a  dozen  sentinels  in  either 
direction,  I  ran  quickly  across  the  soft  sand  road  several 
yards  into  the  open  field,  and  threw  myself  down  upon 
the  uneven  ground.  First  I  dragged  my  body  on  my 
elbows  for  a  few  yards,  then  I  crept  on  my  knees,  and 
so  gradually  gained  in  distance  until  I  could  rise  to  a 
standing  position  and  get  safely  to  the  shelter  of  the 
trees.  With  some  difficulty  I  found  the  cups  and 
blankets  we  had  concealed,  and  lay  down  to  await  the 
arrival  of  my  companion.  Soon  I  heard  several  shots 


A   HAKD   KOAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT    OF   DIXIE  253 

which  I  understood  too  well;  and,  as  I  afterward 
learned,  two  officers  were  shot  dead  for  attempting  the 
feat  I  had  accomplished,  and  perhaps  in  emulation  of 
my  success.  A  third  young  officer,  whom  I  knew,  was 
also  killed  in  camp  by  one  of  the  shots  fired  at  the 
others. 

At  ten  o'clock  I  set  out  alone  and  made  my  way 
across  the  fields  to  the  bank  of  the  Saluda,  where  a 
covered  bridge  crossed  to  Columbia.  Hiding  when  it 
was  light,  wandering  through  fields  and  swamps  by 
night,  and  venturing  at  last  to  seek  food  of  negroes,  I 
proceeded  for  thirteen  days  toward  the  sea. 

In  general  I  had  followed  the  Columbia  turnpike ;  at 
a  quaint  little  chapel  on  the  shore  of  Goose  Creek,  but 
a  few  miles  out  of  Charleston,  I  turned  to  the  north 
and  bent  my  course  for  the  coast  above  the  city. 
About  this  time  I  learned  that  I  should  find  no  boats 
along  the  shore  between  Charleston  and  the  mouth  of 
the  Santee,  everything  able  to  float  having  been  de 
stroyed  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  negroes  and  the 
desertion  of  the  soldiers.  I  was  ferried  over  the  Broad 
River  by  a  crusty  old  darky  who  came  paddling 
across  in  response  to  my  cries  of  "  0-v-e-r,"  and  who 
seemed  so  put  out  because  I  had  no  fare  for  him  that  I 
gave  him  my  case-knife.  The  next  evening  I  had  the 
only  taste  of  meat  of  this  thirteen  days'  journey,  which 
I  got  from  an  old  negro  whom  I  found  alone  in  his 
cabin  eating  possum  and  rice. 

I  had  never  seen  the  open  sea-coast  beaten  by  the 
surf,  and  after  being  satisfied  that  I  had  no  hope  of 
escape  in  that  direction  it  was  in  part  my  curiosity  that 
led  me  on,  and  partly  a  vague  idea  that  I  would  get 


254       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

Confederate  transportation  back  to  Columbia  and  take  a 
fresh  start  westward  bound.  The  tide  was  out,  and  in 
a  little  cove  I  found  an  abundance  of  oysters  bedded  in 
the  mud,  some  of  which  I  cracked  with  stones  and  ate. 
After  satisfying  my  hunger,  and  finding  the  sea  rather 
unexpectedly  tame  inside  the  line  of  islands  which 
marked  the  eastern  horizon,  I  bent  my  steps  toward  a 
fire,  where  I  found  a  detachment  of  Confederate  coast 
guards,  to  whom  I  offered  myself  as  a  guest  as  coolly 
as  if  my  whole  toilsome  journey  had  been  prosecuted 
to  that  end. 

In  the  morning  I  was  marched  a  few  miles  to  Mount 
Pleasant,  near  Fort  Moultrie,  and  taken  thence  in  a 
sail-boat  across  the  harbor  to  Charleston.  At  night  I 
found  myself  again  in  the  city  jail,  where  with  a  large 
party  of  officers  I  had  spent  most  of  the  month  of  Au 
gust.  My  cell-mate  was  Lieutenant  H.  Gr.  Dorr  of  the 
4th  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  with  whom  I  journeyed  by 
rail  back  to  Columbia,  arriving  at  "  Camp  Sorghum " 
about  the  1st  of  November. 

I  rejoined  the  mess  of  Lieutenant  Byers,  and  intro 
duced  to  the  others  Lieutenant  Dorr,  whose  cool  as 
surance  was  a  prize  that  procured  us  all  the  blessings 
possible.  He  could  borrow  frying-pans  from  the 
guards,  money  from  his  brother  Masons  at  headquar 
ters,  and  I  believe  if  we  had  asked  him  to  secure  us  a 
gun  he  would  have  charmed  it  out  of  the  hand  of 
a  sentinel  on  duty. 

Lieutenant  Edward  E.  Sill,  of  General  Daniel  But- 
terfield's  staff,  whom  I  had  met  at  Macon,  during  my 
absence  had  come  to  "Sorghum"  from  a  fruitless  trip 
to  Macon  for  exchange,  and  I  had  promised  to  join  him 


A  HAKD   ROAD   TO   TKAYEL  OUT   OF  DIXIE  255 


LIEUTENANTS  E.   E.  SILL  AND  A.  T.  LAM8ON. 


256       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

in  an  attempt  to  escape  when  he  could  secure  a  pair  of 
shoes.  On  November  29  our  mess  had  felled  a  big 
pine-tree  and  had  rolled  into  camp  a  short  section  of 
the  trunk,  which  a  Tennessee  officer  was  to  split  into 
shingles  to  complete  our  hut,  a  pretty  good  cabin  with 
an  earthen  fireplace.  While  we  were  resting  from  our 
exertion,  Sill  appeared  with  his  friend  Lieutenant  A.  T. 
Lamson  of  the  104th  New  York  Infantry,  and  reminded 
me  of  my  promise.  The  prisoners  always  respected 
their  parole  on  wood-chopping  expeditions,  and  went 
out  and  came  in  at  the  main  entrance.  The  guards 
were  a  particularly  verdant  body  of  back-country 
militia,  and  the  confusion  of  the  parole  system  enabled 
us  to  practise  ruses.  In  our  present  difficulty  we  re 
sorted  to  a  new  expedient  and  forged  a  parole.  The 
next  day  all  three  of  us  were  quietly  walking  down  the 
guard-line  on  the  outside.  At  the  creek,  where  all  the 
camp  came  for  water,  we  found  Dorr  and  Byers  and 
West,  and  calling  to  one  of  them  in  the  presence  of  the 
guard,  asked  for  blankets  to  bring  in  spruce  boughs  for 
beds.  When  the  blankets  came  they  contained  certain 
haversacks,  cups,  and  little  indispensable  articles  for 
the  road.  Falling  back  into  the  woods,  we  secured  a 
safe  hiding-place  until  after  dark.  Just  beyond  the 
village  of  Lexington  we  successfully  evaded  the  first 
picket,  being  warned  of  its  presence  by  the  smoldering 
embers  in  the  road.  A  few  nights  after  this,  having 
exposed  ourselves  and  anticipating  pursuit,  we  pushed 
on  until  we  came  to  a  stream  crossing  the  road.  Up 
this  we  waded  for  some  distance,  and  secured  a  hiding- 
place  on  a  neighboring  hill.  In  the  morning  we  looked 
out  upon  mounted  men  and  dogs,  at  the  very  point 


A   HARD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF  DIXIE  257 

where  we  had  entered  the  stream,  searching  for  our 
lost  trail.  We  spent  two  days  during  a  severe  storm 
of  rain  and  sleet  in  a  farm-barn  where  the  slaves  were 
so  drunk  on  applejack  that  they  had  forgotten  us  and 
left  us  with  nothing  to  eat  but  raw  turnips.  One  night, 
in  our  search  for  provisions,  we  met  a  party  of  negroes 
burning  charcoal,  who  took  us  to  their  camp  and  sent 
out  for  a  supply  of  food.  While  waiting  a  venerable 
"  uncle  "  proposed  to  hold  a  prayer-meeting.  So  under 
the  tall  trees  and  by  the  light  of  the  smoldering  coal 
pits  the  old  man  prayed  long  and  fervently  to  the 
u  bressed  Lord  and  Massa  Lincoln,"  and  hearty  amens 
echoed  through  the  woods.  Besides  a  few  small  pota 
toes,  one  dried  goat  ham  was  all  our  zealous  friends 
could  procure.  The  next  day,  having  made  our  camp 
in  the  secure  depths  of  a  dry  swamp,  we  lighted  the 
only  fire  we  allowed  ourselves  between  Columbia  and 
the  mountains.  The  ham,  which  was  almost  as  light 
as  cork,  was  riddled  with  worm-holes,  and  as  hard  as  a 
petrified  sponge. 

We  avoided  the  towns,  and  after  an  endless  variety 
of  adventures  approached  the  mountains,  cold,  hungry, 
ragged,  and  foot-sore.  On  the  night  of  December  13 
we  were  grouped  about  a  guide-post,  at  a  fork  in  the 
road,  earnestly  contending  as  to  which  way  we  should 
proceed.  Lieutenant  Sill  was  for  the  right,  I  was 
for  the  left,  and  no  amount  of  persuasion  could  in 
duce  Lieutenant  Lamson  to  decide  the  controversy.  I 
yielded,  and  we  turned  to  the  right.  After  walking  a 
mile  in  a  state  of  general  uncertainty,  we  came  to  a 
low  white  farm-house  standing  very  near  the  road.  It 
was  now  close  upon  midnight,  and  the  windows  were 


258       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE  CIVIL  WAR 

all  dark ;  but  from  a  house  of  logs,  partly  "behind  the 
other,  gleamed  a  bright  light.  Judging  this  to  be  ser 
vants'  quarters,  two  of  us  remained  back  while  Lieu 
tenant  Sill  made  a  cautious  approach.  In  due  time  a 
negro  appeared,  advancing  stealthily,  and,  beckoning 
to  my  companion  and  me,  conducted  us  in  the  shadow 
of  a  hedge  to  a  side  window,  through  which  we  clam 
bered  into  the  cabin.  We  were  made  very  comfortable 
in  the  glow  of  a  bright  woodfire.  Sweet  potatoes  were 
already  roasting  in  the  ashes,  and  a  tin  pot  of  barley 
coffee  was  steaming  on  the  coals.  Eain  arid  sleet  had 
begun  to  fall,  and  it  was  decided  that  after  having  been 
warmed  and  refreshed  we  should  be  concealed  in  the 
barn  until  the  following  night.  Accordingly  we  were 
conducted  thither  and  put  to  bed  upon  a  pile  of  corn- 
shucks  high  up  under  the  roof.  Secure  as  this  retreat 
seemed,  it  was  deemed  advisable  in  the  morning  to  bur 
row  several  feet  down  in  the  mow,  so  that  the  children, 
if  by  any  chance  they  should  climb  so  high,  might 
romp  unsuspecting  over  our  heads.  We  could  still 
look  out  through  the  cracks  in  the  siding  and  get  suffi 
cient  light  whereby  to  study  a  map  of  the  Southern 
States,  which  had  been  brought  us  with  our  breakfast. 
A  luxurious  repast  was  in  preparation,  to  be  eaten  at 
the  quarters  before  starting;  but  a  frolic  being  in  pro 
gress,  and  a  certain  negro  present  of  questionable 
fidelity,  the  banquet  was  transferred  to  the  barn.  The 
great  barn  doors  were  set  open,  and  the  cloth  was 
spread  on  the  floor  by  the  light  of  the  moon.  Certainly 
we  had  partaken  of  no  such  substantial  fare  within  the 
Confederacy.  The  central  dish  was  a  pork-pie,  flanked 
by  savory  little  patties  of  sausage.  There  were  sweet 


A  HARD  ROAD   TO   TRAVEL  OUT   OF  DIXIE  259 

potatoes,  fleecy  biscuits,  a  jug  of  sorghum,  and  a  pitcher 
of  sweet  milk.  Most  delicious  of  all  was  a  variety  of 
corn-bread  having  tiny  bits  of  fresh  pork  baked  in  it, 
like  plums  in  a  pudding.1 

Filling  our  haversacks  with  the  fragments,  we  took 
grateful  leave  of  our  sable  benefactors  and  resumed  our 
journey,  retracing  our  steps  to  the  point  of  disagree 
ment  of  the  evening  before.  Long  experience  in  night 
marching  had  taught  us  extreme  caution.  We  had  ad 
vanced  along  the  new  road  but  a  short  way  when  we 
were  startled  by  the  barking  of  a  house-dog.  Appre 
hending  that  something  was  moving  in  front  of  us,  we 
instantly  withdrew  into  the  woods.  We  had  scarcely 
concealed  ourselves  when  two  cavalrymen  passed  along, 
driving  before  them  a  prisoner.  Aware  that  it  was 
high  time  to  betake  ourselves  to  the  cross-roads  and 
describe  a  wide  circle  around  the  military  station  at 
Pickensville,  we  first  sought  information.  A  ray  of 
light  was  visible  from  a  hut  in  the  woods,  and  believing 
from  its  humble  appearance  that  it  sheltered  friends, 

1  Major   Sill   contributes  the  fol-  home,  was  showing  the  photograph 

lowing  evidence  of  the  impression  to  his  family  when  it  caught  the 

our  trio  made  upon  one,  at  least,  of  eye  of  a  colored  servant,  who  ex- 

the  piccaninnies  who  looked  on  in  claimed:  "0  Massa  Bruce,  I  know 

the  moonlight.    The  picture  of  Lieu-  those    gen'men.       My    father   and 

tenants  Sill  and  Lamson  which  ap-  mother  hid  'em  in  Massa's  barn  at 

pears  on  page  255  was  enlarged  from  Pickensville  and  fed  'em  ;  there  was 

a  small  photograph  taken  on  their  three  of  'em  ;  I  saw  'em."    This  ser- 

arrival  at  Chattanooga,   before   di-  vant  was  a  child  barely  ten  years  old 

vesting  themselves  of  the  rags  worn  in  1864,  and  could  have  seen  us  only 

throughout  the  long  journey.   Years  through  the  barn  door  while  we  were 

afterward  Major  Sill  gave  one  of  eating  our  supper  in  the  uncertain 

these  pictures  to  Wallace  Bruce  of  moonlight.    Yet  more  than  twenty 

Florida,  at  one  time  United  States  years  thereafter  he  greeted  the  pho- 

consul  at  Glasgow.     In  the  winter  tograph  of  the  ragged  Yankee  offi- 

of  1888-89  Mr.  Bruce,  at  his  Florida  cers  with  a  flash  of  recognition, 


260       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

my  companions  lay  down  in  concealment  while  I  ad 
vanced  to  reconnoiter.  I  gained  the  side  of  the  house, 
and,  looking  through  a  crack  in  the  boards,  saw,  to  my 
surprise,  a  soldier  lying  on  his  back  before  the  fire 
playing  with  a  dog.  I  stole  back  with  redoubled  care. 
Thoroughly  alarmed  by  the  dangers  we  had  already 
encountered,  we  decided  to  abandon  the  roads.  Near 
midnight  of  December  16  we  passed  through  a  wooden 
gate  on  a  level  road  leading  into  the  forest.  Believing 
that  the  lateness  of  the  hour  would  secure  us  from 
further  dangers,  we  resolved  to  press  on  with  all  speed, 
when  two  figures  with  lighted  torches  came  suddenly 
into  view.  Knowing  that  we  were  yet  unseen,  we 
turned  into  the  woods  and  concealed  ourselves  behind 
separate  trees  at  no  great  distance  from  the  path. 
Soon  the  advancing  lights  revealed  two  hunters,  mere 
lads,  but  having  at  their  heels  a  pack  of  mongrel  dogs, 
with  which  they  had  probably  been  pursuing  the  coon  or 
the  possum.  The  boys  would  have  passed  unaware  of 
our  presence,  but  the  dogs,  scurrying  along  with  their 
noses  in  the  leaves,  soon  struck  our  trail,  and  were 
instantly  yelping  about  us.  We  had  possessed  our 
selves  of  the  name  of  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
neighboring  post  at  Pendleton,  and  advanced  boldly, 
representing  ourselves  to  be  his  soldiers.  "  Then  where 
did  you  get  them  blue  pantaloons!"  they  demanded, 
exchanging  glances,  which  showed  they  were  not 
ignorant  of  our  true  character.  We  coolly  faced  them 
down  and  resumed  our  march  leisurely,  while  the  boys 
still  lingered  undecided.  When  out  of  sight  we  aban 
doned  the  road  and  fled  at  the  top  of  our  speed.  We 
had  covered  a  long  distance  through  forest  and  field 


A   HARD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  261 

before  we  heard  in  our  wake  the  faint  yelping  of  the 
pack.  Plunging  into  the  first  stream,  we  dashed  for 
some  distance  along  its  bed.  Emerging  on  the  opposite 
bank,  we  sped  on  through  marshy  fields,  skirting  high 
hills  and  bounding  down  through  dry  watercourses,  over 
shelving  stones  and  accumulated  barriers  of  driftwood; 
now  panting  up  a  steep  ascent,  and  now  resting  for  a 
moment  to  rub  our  shoes  with  the  resinous  needles 
of  the  pine ;  always  within  hearing  of  the  dogs,  whose 
fitful  cries  varied  in  volume  in  accordance  with  the 
broken  conformation  of  the  intervening  country. 
Knowing  that  in  speed  and  endurance  we  were  no 
match  for  our  four-footed  pursuers,  we  trusted  to  our 
precautions  for  throwing  them  off  the  scent,  mindful 
that  they  were  but  an  ill-bred  kennel  and  the  more 
easily  to  be  disposed  of.  Physically  we  were  capable 
of  prolonged  exertion.  Fainter  and  less  frequent  came 
the  cry  of  the  dogs,  until,  ceasing  altogether,  we  were 
assured  of  our  escape. 

At  Oconee,  on  Sunday,  December  18,  we  met  a  negro 
well  acquainted  with  the  roads  and  passes  into  North 
Carolina,  who  furnished  us  information  by  which  we 
traveled  for  two  nights,  recognizing  on  the  second  ob 
jects  which  by  his  direction  we  avoided  (like  the  house 
of  Black  Bill  McKinney),  and  going  directly  to  that  of 
friendly  old  Tom  Handcock.  The  first  of  these  two 
nights  we  struggled  up  the  foot-hills  and  outlying  spurs 
of  the  mountains,  through  an  uninhabited  waste  of 
rolling  barrens,  along  an  old  stage  road,  long  deserted, 
and  in  places  impassable  to  a  saddle-mule.  Lying 
down  before  morning,  high  up  on  the  side  of  the  moun 
tain,  we  fell  asleep,  to  be  awakened  by  thunder  and 


2G2        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

lightning,  and  to  find  torrents  of  hail  and  sleet  beating 
upon  our  blankets.  Chilled  to  the  bone,  we  ventured 
to  build  a  small  fire  in  a  secluded  place.  After  dark, 
and  before  abandoning  our  camp,  we  gathered  quanti 
ties  of  wood,  stacking  it  upon  the  fire,  which  when  we 
left  it  was  a  wild  tower  of  flame  lighting  up  the  whole 
mountain-side  in  the  direction  we  had  come,  and  seem 
ing,  in  some  sort,  to  atone  for  a  long  succession  of 
shivering  days  in  fireless  bivouac.  We  followed  the 
same  stage  road  through  the  scattering  settlement  of 
Casher's  Valley  in  Jackson  County,  North  Carolina.  A 
little  farther  on,  two  houses,  of  hewn  logs,  with  veran 
das  and  green  blinds,  just  fitted  the  description  we  had 
received  of  the  home  of  old  Tom  Handcock.  Knock 
ing  boldly  at  the  door  of  the  farther  one,  we  were  soon 
in  the  presence  of  the  loyal  mountaineer.  He  and  his 
wife  had  been  sleeping  on  a  bed  spread  upon  the  floor 
before  the  fire.  Drawing  this  to  one  side,  they  heaped 
the  chimney  with  green  wood,  and  were  soon  listening 
with  genuine  delight  to  the  story  of  our  adventures. 

After  breakfast  next  day,  Tom,  with  his  rifle,  led  us 
by  a  back  road  to  the  house  of  "  'Squire  Larkiii  C. 
Hooper,"  a  leading  loyalist,  whom  we  met  on  the  way, 
and  together  we  proceeded  to  his  house.  Ragged  and 
forlorn,  we  were  eagerly  welcomed  at  his  home  by 
Hooper's  invalid  wife  and  daughters.  For  several 
days  we  enjoyed  a  hospitality  given  as  freely  to  utter 
strangers  as  if  we  had  been  relatives  of  the  family. 

Here  we  learned  of  a  party  about  to  start  through 
the  mountains  for  East  Tennessee,  guided  by  Emanuel 
Headen,  who  lived  on  the  crest  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  Our 
friend  Tom  was  to  be  one  of  the  party,  and  other 


A   HARD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  2G3 

refugees  were  coming  over  the  Georgia  border,  where 
Headen,  better  known  in  the  settlement  as  "Man 
Heady,"  was  mustering  his  part}^.  It  now  being  near 
Christmas,  and  the  squire's  family  in  daily  expectation 
of  a  relative,  who  was  a  captain  in  the  Confederate 


WE   ARRIVE   AT  HEADEN'S. 

army,  it  was  deemed  prudent  for  us  to  go  on  to  Headen's 
under  the  guidance  of  Tom.  Setting  out  at  sunset  on 
the  23d  of  December,  it  was  late  in  the  evening  when 
we  arrived  at  our  destination,  having  walked  nine  miles 
up  the  mountain  trails  over  a  light  carpeting  of  snow. 
Pausing  in  front  of  a  diminutive  cabin,  through  the 
chinks  of  whose  stone  fireplace  and  stick  chimney  the 
whole  interior  seemed  to  be  red  hot  like  a  furnace,  our 
guide  demanded,  "Is  Man  Heady  to  hum  ? "  Receiving 


264        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

a  sharp  negative  in  reply,  he  continued,  "Well,  can 
Tom  get  to  stay  all  night  1 "  At  this  the  door  flew  open 
and  a  skinny  woman  appeared,  her  homespun  frock 
pendent  with  tow-headed  urchins. 

"  In  course  you  can,"  she  cried,  leading  the  way  into 
the  cabin.  Never  have  I  seen  so  unique  a  character  as 
this  voluble,  hatched-faced,  tireless  woman.  Her  skin 
was  like  yellow  parchment,  and  I  doubt  if  she  knew  by 
experience  what  it  was  to  be  sick  or  weary.  She  had 
built  the  stake-and-cap  fences  that  divided  the  fields, 
and  she  boasted  of  the  acres  she  had  plowed.  The 
cabin  was  very  small.  Two  bedsteads,  with  a  narrow 
alleyway  between,  occupied  half  the  interior.  One  was 
heaped  with  rubbish,  and  in  the  other  slept  the  whole 
family,  consisting  of  father,  mother,  a  daughter  of  six 
teen,  and  two  little  boys.  When  I  add  that  the  room 
contained  a  massive  timber  loom,  a  table,  a  spinning- 
wheel,  and  a  variety  of  rude  seats,  it  will  be  understood 
that  we  were  crowded  uncomfortably  close  to  the  fire. 
Shrinking  back  as  far  as  possible  from  the  blaze,  we 
listened  in  amused  wonder  to  the  tongue  of  this  seem 
ingly  untamed  virago,  who,  nevertheless,  proved  to  be 
the  kindest-hearted  of  women.  She  cursed,  in  her  high, 
pitched  tones,  for  a  pack  of  fools,  the  men  who  had 
brought  on  the  war.  Roderic  Norton,  who  lived  down 
the  mountain,  she  expressed  a  profane  desire  to  "  stomp 
through  the  turnpike "  because  at  some  time  he  had 
stolen  one  of  her  hogs,  marked,  as  to  the  ear,  with 
"  two  smooth  craps  an'  a  slit  in  the  left."  Once  only 
she  had  journeyed  into  the  low  country,  where  she  had 
seen  those  twin  marvels,  steam  cars  and  brick  chim 
neys.  On  this  occasion  she  had  driven  a  heifer  to 


A   HAED   KOAD   TO   TKAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  265 

market,  making  a  journey  of  forty  miles,  walking  be 
side  her  horse  and  wagon,  which  she  took  along  to 
bring  back  the  corn-meal  received  in  payment  for  the 
animal.  Charged  by  her  husband  to  bring  back  the 
heifer  bell,  and  being  denied  that  musical  instrument 
by  the  purchaser,  it  immediately  assumed  more  impor 
tance  to  her  mind  than  horse,  wagon,  and  corn-meal. 
Baffled  at  first,  she  proceeded  to  the  pasture  in  the  gray 
of  the  morning,  cornered  the  cow,  and  cut  off  the  bell, 
and,  in  her  own  picturesque  language,  "  walked  through 
the  streets  of  Walhalla  cussinV  Eising  at  midnight 
she  would  fall  to  spinning  with  all  her  energy.  To  us, 
waked  from  sleep  on  the  floor  by  the  humming  of  the 
wheel,  she  seemed  by  the  light  of  the  low  fire  like  a 
witch  in  a  sunbonnet,  darting  forward  and  back. 

We  remained  there  several  days,  sometimes  at  the 
cabin  and  sometimes  at  a  cavern  in  the  rocks  such  as 
abound  throughout  the  mountains,  and  which  are  called 
by  the  natives  "rock  houses."  Many  of  the  men  at 
that  time  were  "  outliers  " — that  is,  they  camped  in  the 
mountain  fastnesses,  receiving  their  food  from  some 
member  of  the  family.  Some  of  these  men,  as  now, 
had  their  copper  stills  in  the  rock  houses,  while  others, 
more  wary  of  the  recruiting  sergeant,  wandered  from 
point  to  point,  their  only  furniture  a  rifle  and  a  bed- 
quilt.  On  December  29,  we  were  joined  at  the  cavern 
by  Lieutenant  Knapp  and  Captain  Smith,  Federal 
officers,  who  had  also  made  their  way  from  Columbia, 
and  by  three  refugees  from  Georgia,  whom  I  remember 
as  Old  Man  Tigue  and  the  two  Vincent  boys.  During 
the  night  our  party  was  to  start  across  the  mountains 
for  Tennessee.  Tom  Handcock  was  momentarily  ex- 


266       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

pected  to  join  us.  Our  guide  was  busy  with  prepara 
tions  for  the  journey.  The  night  coming  on  icy  cold, 
and  a  cutting  wind  driving  the  smoke  of  the  fire  into 
our  granite  house,  we  abandoned  it  at  nine  o'clock  and 
descended  to  the  cabin.  Headen  and  his  wife  had  gone 
to  the  mill  for  a  supply  of  corn-meal.  Although  it  was 
time  for  their  return,  we  wrere  in  nowise  alarmed  by 
their  absence,  and  formed  a  jovial  circle  about  the  roar 
ing  chimney.  About  midnight  came  a  rap  on  the  door. 
Thinking  it  was  Tom  Handcock  and  some  of  his  com 
panions,  I  threw  it  open  with  an  eager  "  Come  in,  boys ! " 
The  boys  began  to  come  in,  stamping  the  snow  from 
their  boots  and  rattling  their  muskets  on  the  floor, 
until  the  house  was  full,  and  yet  others  were  on  guard 
without  and  crowding  the  porch.  "  Man  Heady  "  and 
his  wife  were  already  prisoners  at  the  mill,  and  the 
house  had  been  picketed  for  some  hours  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  other  refugees,  who  had  discovered  the 
plot  just  in  time  to  keep  out  of  the  toils.  Marshaled 
in  some  semblance  of  military  array,  we  were  marched 
down  the  mountain,  over  the  frozen  ground,  to  the 
house  of  old  Roderic  Norton.  The  Yankee  officers 
were  sent  to  an  upper  room,  while  the  refugees  were 
guarded  below,  under  the  immediate  eyes  of  the 
soldiery.  Making  the  best  of  our  misfortune,  our  ori 
ginal  trio  bounced  promptly  into  a  warm  bed,  which 
had  been  recently  deserted  by  some  members  of  the 
family,  and  secured  a  good  night's  rest. 

Lieutenant  Knapp,  who  had  imprudently  indulged 
in  frozen  chestnuts  on  the  mountain-side,  was  attacked 
with  violent  cramps,  and  kept  the  household  below 
stairs  in  commotion  all  night  humanely  endeavoring 


A   IIABD   EOAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  267 

to  assuage  his  agony.  In  the  morning,  although  quite 
recovered,  he  cunningly  feigned  a  continuance  of  his 
pains,  and  was  left  behind  in  the  keeping  of  two 
guards,  who,  having  no  suspicion  of  his  deep  designs, 
left  their  guns  in  the  house  and  went  out  to  the  spring 
to  wash.  Knapp,  instantly  on  the  alert,  possessed 
himself  of  the  muskets,  and  breaking  the  lock  of  one, 
by  a  powerful  effort  he  bent  the  barrel  of  the  other, 
arid  dashed  out  through  the  garden.  His  keepers, 
returning  from  the  spring,  shouted  and  rushed  indoors 
only  to  find  their  disabled  pieces.  They  joined  our 
party  later  in  the  day,  rendering  a  chapfallen  account 
of  their  detached  service. 

We  had  but  a  moderate  march  to  make  to  the  head 
quarters  of  the  battalion,  where  we  were  to  spend  the 
night.  Our  guards  we  found  kindly  disposed  toward 
us,  but  bitterly  upbraiding  the  refugees,  whom  they 
saluted  by  the  ancient  name  of  Tories.  Lieutenant 
Cogdill,  in  command  of  the  expedition,  privately  in 
formed  us  that  his  sympathies  were  entirely  ours,  but 
as  a  matter  of  duty  he  should  guard  us  jealously  while 
under  his  military  charge.  If  we  could  effect  our 
escape  thereafter  we  had  only  to  come  to  his  mountain 
home  and  he  would  conceal  us  until  such  time  as  he 
could  despatch  us  with  safety  over  the  borders.  These 
mountain  soldiers  were  mostly  of  two  classes,  both  op 
posed  to  the  war,  but  doing  home-guard  duty  in  lieu  of 
sterner  service  in  the  field.  Numbers  were  of  the  out 
lier  class,  who,  wearied  of  continual  hiding  in  the  lau 
rel  brakes,  had  embraced  this  service  as  a  compromise. 
Many  were  deserters,  some  of  whom  had  coolly  set 
at  defiance  the  terms  of  their  furloughs,  while  others 


268        ADVENTUKES  AND   ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL   WAR 

had  abandoned  the  camps  in  Virginia,  and,  versed  in 
mountain  craft,  had  made  their  way  along  the  Blue 
Ridge  and  put  in  a  heroic  appearance  in  their  native 
valleys. 

That  night  we  arrived  at  a  farm-house  near  the 
river,  where  we  found  Major  Parker,  commanding  the 
battalion,  with  a  small  detachment  billeted  upon  the 
family.  The  farmer  was  a  gray-haired  old  loyalist, 
whom  I  shall  always  remember,  leaning  on  his  staff  in 
the  middle  of  the  kitchen,  barred  out  from  his  place  in 
the  chimney-corner  by  the  noisy  circle  of  his  unbidden 
guests.  Major  Parker  was  a  brisk  little  man,  clad  in 
brindle  jeans  of  ancient  cut,  resplendent  with  brass 
buttons.  Two  small  piercing  eyes,  deep-set  beside  a 
hawk's-beak  nose,  twinkled  from  under  the  rim  of  his 
brown  straw  hat,  whose  crown  was  defiantly  sur 
mounted  by  a  cock's  feather.  But  he  was  exceedingly 
jolly  withal,  and  welcomed  the  Yankees  with  pompous 
good-humor,  despatching  a  sergeant  for  a  jug  of  apple 
jack,  which  was  doubtless  as  inexpensive  to  the  major 
as  his  other  hospitality.  Having  been  a  prisoner  at 
Chicago,  he  prided  himself  on  his  knowledge  of  dun 
geon  etiquette  and  the  military  courtesies  due  to  our 
rank. 

We  were  awakened  in  the  morning  by  high-pitched 
voices  in  the  room  below.  Lieutenant  Sill  and  I  had 
passed  the  night  in  neighboring  caverns  of  the  same 
miraculous  feather-bed.  We  recognized  the  voice  of 
the  major,  informing  some  culprit  that  he  had  just  ten 
minutes  to  live,  and  that  if  he  wished  to  send  any 
dying  message  to  his  wife  or  children  then  and  there 
was  his  last  opportunity ;  and  then  followed  the  tramp- 


A   HAKD   KOAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  209 

ing  of  the  guards  as  they  retired  from  his  presence 
with  their  victim.  Hastily  dressing,  we  hurried  down 
to  find  what  was  the  matter.  We  were  welcomed  with 
a  cheery  good-morning  f  mm  the  major,  who  seemed  to 
be  in  the  sunniest  of  spirits.  No  sign  of  commotion 
was  visible.  "  Step  out  to  the  branch,  gentlemen ; 
your  parole  of  honor  is  sufficient ;  you  '11  find  towels  — 
been  a  prisoner  myself."  And  he  restrained  by  a  sign 
the  sentinel  who  would  have  accompanied  us.  At  the 
branch,  in  the  yard,  we  found  the  other  refugees  trem 
bling  for  their  fate,  and  learned  that  Headen  had  gone 
to  the  orchard  in  the  charge  of  a  file  of  soldiers  with  a 
rope.  While  we  were  discussing  the  situation  and 
endeavoring  to  calm  the  apprehensions  of  the  Georgi 
ans,  the  executioners  returned  from  the  orchard,  our 
guide  marching  in  advance  and  looking  none  the 
worse  for  the  rough  handling  he  had  undergone.  The 
brave  fellow  had  confided  his  last  message  and  been 
thrice  drawn  up  toward  the  branch  of  an  apple-tree, 
and  as  many  times  lowered  for  the  information  it  was 
supposed  he  would  give.  Nothing  was  learned,  and 
it  is  probable  he  had  no  secrets  to  disclose  or  conceal. 
Lieutenant  Cogdill,  with  two  soldiers,  was  detailed 
to  conduct  us  to  Quallatown,  a  Cherokee  station  at  the 
foot  of  the  Great  Smoky  Mountains.  Two  horses 
were  allotted  to  the  guard,  and  we  set  out  in  military 
order,  the  refugees  two  and  two  in  advance,  Headen 
and  Old  Man  Tigue  lashed  together  by  the  wrists,  and 
the  rear  brought  up  by  the  troopers  on  horseback.  It 
was  the  last  day  of  the  year,  and  although  a  winter 
morning,  the  rare  mountain  air  was  as  soft  as  spring. 
We  struck  the  banks  of  the  Tuckasegee  directly  oppo- 


270       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 

site  to  a  feathery  waterfall,  which,  leaping  over  a  crag 
of  the  opposite  cliff,  was  dissipated  in  a  glittering  sheet 
of  spray  before  reaching  the  tops  of  the  trees  below. 
As  the  morning  advanced  we  fell  into  a  more  negligent 
order  of  marching.  The  beautiful  river,  a  wide,  swift 
current,  flowing  smoothly  between  thickly  wooded 
banks,  swept  by  on  our  left,  and  on  the  right  wild, 
uninhabited  mountains  closed  in  the  road.  The  two 
Vincents  were  strolling  along  far  in  advance.  Some 
distance  behind  them  were  Headen  and  Tigue ;  the  re- 
mainder  of  us  following  in  a  general  group,  Sill 
mounted  beside  one  of  the  guards.  Advancing  in  this 
order,  a  cry  from  the  front  broke  on  the  stillness  of 
the  woods,  and  we  beheld  Old  Man  Tigue  gesticulating 
wildly  in  the  center  of  the  road  and  screaming,  "  He  's 
gone !  He 's  gone  !  Catch  him  !  "  Sure  enough  the 
old  man  was  alone,  the  fragment  of  the  parted  strap 
dangling  from  his  outstretched  wrist.  The  guard,  who 
was  mounted,  dashed  off  in  pursuit,  followed  by  the 
lieutenant  on  foot,  but  both  soon  returned,  giving  over 
the  hopeless  chase.  Thoroughly  frightened  by  the 
events  of  the  morning,  Headen1  had  watched  his  op 
portunity  to  make  good  his  escape,  and,  as  we  after 
ward  learned,  joined  by  Knapp  and  Tom  Handcock,  he 
conducted  a  party  safely  to  Tennessee. 

At  Webster,  the  court  town  of  Jackson  County,  we 
were  quartered  for  the  night  in  the  jail,  but  accom 
panied  Lieutenant  Cogdill  to  a  venison  breakfast  at  the 

1  A  short  time  ago  the  writer  re-  her  mother.  The  old  lady  is  blind, 
ceived  the  following  letter :  "  Cash-  Old  man  Norton  (Roderic),  to  whose 
er's  Valley,  May  28,  1890.  Old  Man-  house  you  were  taken  as  prisoner,  has 
uel  Headen  and  wife  are  living,  but  been  dead  for  years.  Old  Tom  Hand- 
separated.  Julia  Ann  is  living  with  cock  is  dead.— W.  R.  HOOPER." 


A   HAKD   EOAD   TO   TEAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE 


271 


THE   ESCAPE   OF  HEADEN. 


parsonage  with  Mrs.  Harris  and  her  daughter,  who  had 
called  on  us  the  evening  before.  Snow  had  fallen  dur 
ing  the  night,  and  when  we  continued  our  march  it  was 
with  the  half -frozen  slash  crushing  in  and  out,  at  every 


272        ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR 

step,  through  our  broken  shoes.  Before  the  close  of 
this  dreary  New- Year's  day  we  came  upon  the  scene  of 
one  of  those  wild  tragedies  which  are  still  of  too  fre 
quent  occurrence  in  those  remote  regions,  isolated  from 
the  strong  arm  of  the  law.  Our  road  led  down  and 
around  the  mountain-side,  which  on  our  right  was  a 
barren,  rocky  waste,  sloping  gradually  up  from  the  in 
ner  curve  of  the  arc  we  were  describing.  From  this 
direction  arose  a  low  wailing  sound,  and  a  little  farther 
on  we  came  in  view  of  a  dismal  group  of  men,  women, 
and  mules.  In  the  center  of  the  gathering  lay  the  life 
less  remains  of  a  father  and  his  two  sons ;  seated  upon 
the  ground,  swaying  and  weeping  over  their  dead,  were 
the  mother  and  wives  of  the  young  men.  A  burial 
party,  armed  with  spades  and  picks,  waited  by  their 
mules,  while  at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  mourners 
stood  a  circle  of  neighbors  and  passers-by,  some  gazing 
in  silent  sympathy,  and  others  not  hesitating  to  express 
a  quiet  approval  of  the  shocking  tragedy.  Between 
two  families,  the  Hoopers  and  the  Watsons,  a  bitter 
feud  had  long  existed,  and  from  time  to  time  men  of 
each  clan  had  fallen  by  the  rifles  of  the  other.  The 
Hoopers  were  loyal  Union  men,  and  if  the  Watsons 
yielded  any  loyalty  it  was  to  the  State  of  North  Carolina. 
On  one  occasion  shortly  before  the  final  tragedy,  when 
one  of  the  young  Hoopers  was  sitting  quietly  in  his 
door,  a  light  puff  of  smoke  rose  from  the  bushes  and  a 
rifle-ball  plowed  through  his  leg.  The  Hoopers  resolved 
to  begin  the  new  year  by  wiping  out  their  enemies, 
root  and  branch.  Before  light  they  had  surrounded 
the  log  cabin  of  the  Watsons  and  secured  all  the  male 
inmates,  except  one  who,  wounded,  escaped  through  a 


A   HARD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  273 

window.  The  latter  afterward  executed  a  singular  re 
venge  by  killing  and  skinning  the  dog  of  his  enemies 
and  elevating  the  carcass  on  a  pole  in  front  of  their 
house. 

After  a  brief  stay  at  Quallatown  we  set  out  for  Ashe- 
ville,  leaving  behind  our  old  and  friendly  guard.  Be 
sides  the  soldiers  who  now  had  us  in  charge,  a  Cherokee 
Indian  was  allotted  to  each  prisoner,  with  instructions 
to  keep  his  man  constantly  in  view.  To  travel  with  an 
armed  Indian,  sullen  and  silent,  trotting  at  your  heels 
like  a  dog,  with  very  explicit  instructions  to  blow  out 
your  brains  at  the  first  attempt  to  escape,  is  neither 
cheerful  nor  ornamental,  and  we  were  a  sorry-looking 
party  plodding  silently  along  the  road.  Detachments 
of  prisoners  were  frequently  passed  over  this  route, 
and  regular  stopping-places  were  established  for  the 
nights.  It  was  growing  dusk  when  we  arrived  at  the 
first  cantonment,  which  was  the  wing  of  a  great  barren 
farm-house  owned  by  Colonel  Bryson.  The  place  was 
already  occupied  by  a  party  of  refugees,  and  we  were 
directed  to  a  barn  in  the  field  beyond.  We  had  brought 
with  us  uncooked  rations,  and  while  two  of  the  soldiers 
went  into  the  house  for  cooking  utensils,  the  rest  of  the 
party,  including  the  Indians,  were  leaning  in  a  line 
upon  the  door-yard  fence ;  Sill  and  Lamson  were  at  the 
end  of  the  line,  where  the  fence  cornered  with  a  hedge. 
Presently  the  two  soldiers  reappeared,  one  of  them  with 
an  iron  pot  in  which  to  cook  our  meat,  and  the  other 
swinging  in  his  hand  a  burning  brand.  In  the  wake  of 
these  guides  we  followed  down  to  the  barn,  and  had 
already  started  a  fire  when  word  came  from  the  house 

that  for  fear  of  rain  we  had  best  return  to  the  corn- 
is 


274        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

barn.  It  was  not  until  we  were  again  in  the  road  that 
I  noticed  the  absence  of  Sill  and  Lamson.  I  hastened 
to  Smith  and  confided  the  good  news.  The  fugitives 
were  missed  almost  simultaneously  by  the  guards,  who 
first  beat  up  the  vicinity  of  the  barn,  and  then,  after 
securing  the  remainder  of  us  in  a  corn-crib,  sent  out 
the  Indians  in  pursuit.  Faithful  dogs,  as  these  Chero- 
kees  had  shown  themselves  during  the  day,  they  proved 
but  poor  hunters  when  the  game  was  in  the  bush,  and 
soon  returned,  giving  over  the  chase.  Half  an  hour 
later  they  were  all  back  in  camp,  baking  their  hoecake 
in  genuine  aboriginal  fashion,  flattened  on  the  surface 
of  a  board  and  inclined  to  the  heat  of  the  fire.1 

That  I  was  eager  to  follow  goes  without  saying,  but 
our  keepers  had  learned  our  slippery  character.  All 
the  way  to  Asheville,  day  and  night,  we  were  watched 
with  sleepless  vigilance.  There  we  gave  our  parole, 
Smith  and  I,  and  secured  thereby  comfortable  quarters 
in  the  court-house  with  freedom  to  stroll  about  the 
town.  Old  Man  Tigue  and  the  Vincents  were  com 
mitted  to  the  county  jail.  We  were  there  a  week,  part 
of  my  spare  time  being  employed  in  helping  a  Con 
federate  company  officer  make  out  a  correct  pay-roll. 

!Sill  and  Lamson  reached  Lou-  Hoopers.     So  near  were  they  that 

don,    Tennessee,   in  February.     A  they  could  distinguish  a  relative  of 

few  days  after  their  escape  from  the  the  Watsons  leading  the    sheriff's 

Indian  guard  they  arrived  at  the  party.     One   of  the   Hooper  boys, 

house  of  "  Shooting  John  Brown,"  with  characteristic  recklessness  and 

who  confided  them  to  the   care  of  to  the  consternation  of  the  others, 

the  young  Hoopers  and  a  party  of  stood  boldly  out  on  a  great  rock  in 

their  outlying  companions.     From  plain  sight  of  his  pursuers  (if  they 

a  rocky  cliff  overlooking  the  valley  had    chanced    to     look    up),    half 

of  the  Tuckasegee  they  could  look  resolved  to  try  his  rifle  at  the  last 

down  on  the  river  roads  dotted  with  of  the  Watsons, 
the  sheriff's  posse  in  pursuit  of  the 


A   HAED   EOAD   TO   TEAVEL   OUT   OF    DIXIE  275 

When  our  diminislied  ranks  had  been  recruited  by 
four  more  officers  from  Columbia,  who  had  been  cap 
tured  near  the  frozen  summit  of  the  Great  Smoky 
Mountains,  we  were  started  on  a  journey  of  sixty  miles 
to  Greenville  in  South  Carolina.  The  night  before  our 
arrival  we  were  quartered  at  a  large  farm-house.  The 
prisoners,  together  with  the  privates  of  the  guard, 
were  allotted  a  comfortable  room,  which  contained, 
however,  but  a  single  bed.  The  officer  in  charge  had 
retired  to  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  the  family.  A  flock 
of  enormous  white  pullets  were  roosting  in  the  yard. 
Procuring  an  iron  kettle  from  the  servants,  who  looked 
with  grinning  approval  upon  all  forms  of  chicken 
stealing,  we  sallied  forth  to  the  capture.  Twisting  the 
precious  necks  of  half  a  dozen,  we  left  them  to  die  in 
the  grass  while  we  pierced  the  side  of  a  sweet-potato 
mound.  Loaded  with  our  booty  we  retreated  to  the 
house  undiscovered,  and  spent  the  night  in  cooking 
in  one  pot  instead  of  sleeping  in  one  bed.  The  fowls 
were  skinned  instead  of  plucked,  and,  vandals  that 
we  were,  dressed  on  the  backs  of  the  picture-frames 
taken  down  from  the  walls. 

At  Greenville  we  were  lodged  in  the  county  jail  to 
await  the  reconstruction  of  railway-bridges,  when  we 
were  to  be  transported  to  Columbia.  The  jail  was  a 
stone  structure,  two  stories  in  height,  with  halls 
through  the  center  on  both  floors  and  square  rooms 
on  each  side.  The  lock  was  turned  on  our  little  party 
of  six  in  one  of  these  upper  rooms,  having  two  grated 
windows  looking  down  on  the  walk.  Through  the  door 
which  opened  on  the  hall  a  square  hole  was  cut  as  high 
as  one's  face  and  large  enough  to  admit  the  passage  of 


276        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

a  plate.  Aside  from  the  rigor  of  our  confinement  we 
were  treated  with  marked  kindness.  We  had  scarcely 
walked  about  our  dungeon  before  the  jailer's  daughters 
were  at  the  door  with  their  autograph  albums.  In  a 
few  days  we  were  playing  draughts  and  reading  Bul- 
wer,  while  the  girls,  without,  were  preparing  our  food 
and  knitting  for  us  warm  new  stockings.  Notwith 
standing  all  these  attentions,  we  were  ungratefully  dis 
contented.  At  the  end  of  the  first  week  we  were  joined 
by  seven  enlisted  men,  Ohio  boys,  who  like  ourselves 
had  been  found  at  large  in  the  mountains.  From  one 
of  these  new  arrivals  we  procured  a  case-knife  and  a 
gun  screw-driver.  Down  on  the  hearth  before  the  fire 
the  screw-driver  was  placed  on  the  thick  edge  of  the 
knife  and  belabored  with  a  beef  bone  until  a  few 
inches  of  its  back  were  converted  into  a  rude  saw. 
The  grate  in  the  window  was  formed  of  cast-iron 
bars,  passing  perpendicularly  through  wrought-iron 
plates,  bedded  in  the  stone  jambs.  If  one  of  these  per 
pendicular  bars,  an  inch  and  a  half  square,  could  be 
cut  through,  the  plates  might  be  easily  bent  so  as  to 
permit  the  egress  of  a  man.  With  this  end  in  view 
we  cautiously  began  operations.  Outside  of  the  bars  a 
piece  of  carpet  had  been  stretched  to  keep  out  the  raw 
wind,  and  behind  this  we  worked  with  safety.  An 
hour's  toil  produced  but  a  few  feathery  filings  on  the 
horizontal  plate,  but  many  hands  make  light  work, 
and  steadily  the  cut  grew  deeper.  We  recalled  the 
adventures  of  Claude  Duval,  Dick  Turpin,  and  Six- 
teen-string  Jack,  and  sawed  away.  During  the  avail 
able  hours  of  three  days  and  throughout  one  entire 
night  the  blade  of  steel  was  worrying,  rasping,  eating 


A   HAED   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE. 


277 


GREENVILLE  JAIL. 


the  iron  bar.  At  last  the  grosser  yielded  to  the  tem 
per  and  persistence  of  the  finer  metal.  It  was  Satur 
day  night  when  the  toilsome  cut  was  completed,  and 
preparations  were  already  under  way  for  a  speedy  de 
parture.  The  jail  had  always  been  regarded  as  too 
secure  to  require  a  military  guard,  although  soldiers 
were  quartered  in  the  town ;  besides,  the  night  was  so 
cold  that  a  crust  had  formed  on  the  snow,  and  both 


278       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

citizens  and  soldiers,  unused  to  such  extreme  weather, 
would  be  likely  to  remain  indoors.  For  greater  se 
crecy  of  movement,  we  divided  into  small  parties,  aim 
ing  to  traverse  different  roads.  I  was  to  go  with  my 
former  companion,  Captain  Smith.  Lots  were  cast  to 
determine  the  order  of  our  going.  First  exit  was 
allotted  to  four  of  the  Ohio  soldiers.  Made  fast  to 
the  grating  outside  were  a  bit  of  rope  and  strip  of 
blanket,  along  which  to  descend.  Our  room  was 
immediately  over  that  of  the  jailer  and  his  sleeping 
family,  and  beneath  our  opening  was  a  window,  which 
each  man  must  pass  in  his  descent.  At  eleven  o'clock 
the  exodus  began.  The  first  man  was  passed  through 
the  bars  amid  a  suppressed  buzz  of  whispered  cau 
tions.  His  boots  wrere  handed  after  him  in  a  haver 
sack.  The  rest  of  us,  pressing  our  faces  to  the  frosty 
grating,  listened  breathlessly  for  the  success  of  the 
movement  we  could  no  longer  see.  Suddenly  there 
was  a  crash,  and  in  the  midst  of  mutterings  of  anger 
we  snatched  in  the  rag  ladder  and  restored  the  piece  of 
carpeting  to  its  place  outside  the  bars.  Our  pioneer 
had  hurt  his  hand  against  the  rough  stones,  and, 
floundering  in  mid-air,  had  dashed  his  leg  through 
sash  and  glass  of  the  window  below.  "We  could  see 
nothing  of  his  further  movements,  but  soon  discov 
ered  the  jailer  standing  in  the  door,  looking  up  and 
down  the  street,  seemingly  in  the  dark  as  to  where  the 
crash  came  from.  At  last,  wearied  and  worried  and 
disappointed,  we  lay  down  in  our  blankets  upon  the 
hard  floor. 

At  daylight  we  were  awakened  by  the  voice  of  Miss 
Emma  at  the  hole  in  the  door.     "  Who  got  out  last 


A  HARD   ROAD   TO  TRAVEL  OUT   OF  DIXIE  279 

night  I "  "  Welty."  "  Well,  you  was  fools  you  did  n't 
all  go ;  pap  would  n't  'a'  stopped  you.  If  you  '11  keep 
the  break  concealed  until  night  we  '11  let  you  all  out." 
The  secret  of  the  extreme  kindness  of  our  keepers  was 
explained.  The  jailer,  a  loyalist,  retained  his  position 
as  a  civil  detail,  thus  protecting  himself  and  sons  from 
conscription.  Welty  had  been  taken  in  the  night  be 
fore,  his  bruises  had  been  anointed,  and  he  had  been 
provisioned  for  the  journey. 

We  spent  the  day  repairing  our  clothing  and  prepar 
ing  for  the  road.  My  long-heeled  cowhides,  "wife's 
shoes,"  for  which  I  had  exchanged  a  uniform  waistcoat 
with  a  cotton-wooled  old  darky  on  the  banks  of  the 
Saluda,  were  about  parting  soles  from  uppers,  and  I 
kept  the  twain  together  by  winding  my  feet  with  stout 
cords.  At  supper  an  extra  ration  was  given  us.  As 
soon  as  it  was  dark  the  old  jailer  appeared  among  us 
and  gave  us  a  minute  description  of  the  different  roads 
leading  west  into  the  mountains,  warning  us  of  certain 
dangers.  At  eleven  o'clock  Miss  Emma  came  with  the 
great  keys,  and  we  followed  her,  in  single  file,  down 
the  stairs  and  out  into  the  back  yard  of  the  jail. 
From  the  broken  gratings  in  front,  the  bit  of  rope  and 
strip  of  blanket  were  left  dangling  in  the  wind. 

We  made  short  work  of  leave-taking,  Captain  Smith 
and  I  separating  immediately  from  the  rest,  and  push 
ing  hurriedly  out  of  the  sleeping  town,  by  back  streets, 
into  the  bitter  cold  of  the  country  roads.  We  stopped 
once  to  warm  at  the  pits  of  some  negro  charcoal-burn 
ers,  and  before  day  dawned  had  traveled  sixteen  miles. 
We  found  a  sheltered  nook  on  the  side  of  the  moun 
tain  open  to  the  sun,  where  we  made  a  bed  of  dry 


280       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN  THE   CIVIL  WAB 

leaves  and  remained  for  the  day.  At  night  we  set  out 
again,  due  west  by  the  stars,  but  before  we  had  gone 
far  my  companion,  who  claimed  to  know  something  of 
the  country,  insisted  upon  going  to  the  left,  and  within 
a  mile  turned  into  another  left-hand  road.  I  protested, 
claiming  that  this  course  was  leading  us  back.  While 
we  were  yet  contending,  we  came  to  a  bridgeless  creek 
whose  dark  waters  barred  our  progress,  and  at  the 
same  moment,  as  if  induced  by  the  thought  of  the 
fording,  the  captain  was  seized  with  rheumatic  pains 
in  his  knees,  so  that  he  walked  with  difficulty.  We 
had  just  passed  a  house  where  lights  were  still  show 
ing,  and  to  this  we  decided  to  return,  hoping  at  least 
to  find  shelter  for  Smith.  Leaving  him  at  the  gate,  I 
went  to  a  side  porch  and  knocked  at  the  door,  which 
was  opened  by  a  woman  who  proved  to  be  friendly  to 
our  cause,  her  husband  being  in  the  rebel  army  much 
against  his  will.  We  were  soon  seated  to  the  right 
and  left  of  her  fireplace.  Blazing  pine-knots  bril 
liantly  lighted  the  room,  and  a  number  of  beds  lined 
the  walls.  A  trundle-bed  before  the  fire  was  occupied 
by  a  very  old  woman,  who  was  feebly  moaning  with 
rheumatism.  Our  hostess  shouted  into  the  old  lady's 
ear,  "  Granny,  them  's  Yankees."  "  Be  they ! "  said  she, 
peering  at  us  with  her  poor  old  eyes.  "  Be  ye  selliu' 
tablecloths?"  When  it  was  explained  that  we  were 
just  from  the  war,  she  demanded,  in  an  absent  way, 
to  know  if  we  were  Britishers.  We  slept  in  one  of 
the  comfortable  beds,  and,  as  a  measure  of  prudence, 
passed  the  day  in  the  woods,  leaving  at  nightfall  with 
well-filled  haversacks.  Captain  Smith  was  again  the 
victim  of  his  rheumatism,  and  directing  me  to  his 


A   HARD   EOAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  281 

friends  at  Caesar's  Head,  where  I  was  to  wait  for  him 
until  Monday  (it  then  being  Tuesday),  he  returned  to 
the  house,  little  thinking  that  we  were  separating 
forever. 

I  traveled  very  rapidly  all  night,  hoping  to  make  the 
whole  distance,  but  day  was  breaking  when  I  reached 
the  head  waters  of  the  Saluda.  Following  up  the 
stream,  I  found  a  dam  on  which  I  crossed,  and  although 
the  sun  was  rising  and  the  voices  of  children  mingled 
with  the  lowing  of  cattle  in  the  frosty  air,  I  ran  across 
the  fields  and  gained  a  secure  hiding-place  on  the  side 
of  the  mountain.  It  was  a  long,  solitary  day,  and  glad 
was  I  when  it  grew  sufficiently  dark  to  turn  the  little 
settlement  and  get  into  the  main  road  up  the  mountain. 
It  was  six  zigzag  miles  to  the  top,  the  road  turning  on 
log  abutments,  well  anchored  with  stones,  and  not  a 
habitation  on  the  way  until  I  should  reach  Bishop's 
house,  on  the  crest  of  the  divide.  Half-way  up  I  paused 
before  a  big  summer  hotel,  looming  up  in  the  woods 
like  the  ghost  of  a  deserted  factory,  its  broken  windows 
and  rotting  gateways  redoubling  the  solitude  of  the 
bleak  mountain-side.  Shortly  before  reaching  Bishop's, 
" wife's  shoes"  became  quite  unmanageable.  One  had 
climbed  up  my  leg  half-way  to  the  knee,  and  I  knocked 
at  the  door  with  the  wreck  of  the  other  in  my  hand. 
My  visit  had  been  preceded  but  a  day  by  a  squad  of 
partizan  raiders,  who  had  carried  away  the  bedding  and 
driven  off  the  cattle  of  my  new  friends,  and  for  this 
reason  the  most  generous  hospitality  could  offer  no 
better  couch  than  the  hard  floor.  Stretched  thereon  in 
close  proximity  to  the  dying  fire,  the  cold  air  coming 
up  through  the  wide  cracks  between  the  hewn  planks 


282        ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

seemed  to  be  cutting  me  in  sections  as  with  icy  saws, 
so  that  I  was  forced  to  establish  myself  lengthwise  on  a 
broad  puncheon  at  the  side  of  the  room  and  under  the 
table. 

In  this  family  "  the  gray  mare  was  the  better  horse," 
and  poor  Bishop,  an  inoffensive  man,  and  a  cripple 
withal,  was  wedded  to  a  regular  Xantippe.  It  was 
evident  that  unpleasant  thoughts  were  dominant  in  the 
woman's  mind  as  she  proceeded  sullenly  and  vigorously 
with  preparations  for  breakfast.  The  bitter  bread  of 
charity  was  being  prepared  with  a  vengeance  for  the 
unwelcome  guest.  Premonitions  of  the  coming  storm 
flashed  now  and  then  in  lightning  cuffs  on  the  ears  of 
the  children,  or  crashed  venomously  among  the  pottery 
in  the  fireplace.  At  last  the  repast  was  spread,  the 
table  still  standing  against  the  wall,  as  is  the  custom 
among  mountain  housewives.  The  good-natured  hus 
band  now  advanced  cheerfully  to  lend  a  hand  in  re 
moving  it  into  the  middle  of  the  room.  It  was  when 
one  of  the  table-legs  overturned  the  swill-pail  that  the 
long  pent-up  storm  burst  in  a  torrent  of  invective. 
The  prospect  of  spending  several  days  here  was  a  very 
gloomy  outlook,  and  the  relief  was  great  when  it  was 
proposed  to  pay  a  visit  to  Neighbor  Case,  whose  house 
was  in  the  nearest  valley,  and  with  whose  sons  Captain 
Smith  had  lain  in  concealment  for  some  weeks  on  a 
former  visit  to  the  mountains.  I  was  curious  to  see  his 
sons,  who  were  famous  outliers.  From  safe  cover  they 
delighted  to  pick  off  a  recruiting  officer  or  a  tax-in- 
kind  collector,  or  tumble  out  of  their  saddles  the  last 
drivers  of  a  wagon-train.  These  lively  young  men  had 
been  in  unusual  demand  of  late,  and  their  hiding-place 


A   HAKD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE 


283 


was  not  known  even  to  the  faithful,  so  I  was  condemned 
to  the  society  of  an  outlier  of  a  less  picturesque  variety. 
Pink  Bishop  was  a  blacksmith,  and  just  the  man  to 
forge  me  a  set  of  shoes  from  the  leather  Neighbor  Case 
had  already  provided.  The  little  still-shed,  concealed 


PINK  BISHOP  AT  THE  STILL. 


from  the  road  only  by  a  low  hill,  was  considered  an 
unsafe  harbor,  on  account  of  a  fresh  fall  of  snow  with 
its  sensibility  to  tell-tale  impressions.  So  we  set  up 
our  shoe-factory  in  a  deserted  cabin,  well  back  on  the 
mountain  and  just  astride  of  that  imaginary  line 
which  divides  the  Carolinas.  From  the  fireplace  we  dug 
away  the  corn-stalks,  heaping  the  displaced  bundles 


284       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

against  broken  windows  and  windy  cracks,  and  other 
wise  secured  our  retreat  against  frost  and  enemies. 
Then  ensued  three  days  of  primitive  shoemaking.  As 
may  be  inferred,  the  shoes  made  no  pretension  to 
style.  I  sewed  the  short  seams  at  the  sides,  and  split 
the  pegs  from  a  section  of  seasoned  maple.  Rudely 
constructed  as  these  shoes  were,  they  bore  their  wearer 
triumphantly  into  the  promised  land. 

I  restrained  my  eagerness  to  be  going  until  Monday 
night,  the  time  agreed  upon,  when,  my  disabled  com 
panion  not  putting  in  an  appearance,  I  set  out  for  my 
old  friend's  in  Casher's  Valley.  I  got  safely  over  a  long 
wooden  bridge  within  half  a  mile  of  a  garrisoned  town. 
I  left  the  road,  and  turned,  as  I  believed,  away  from 
the  town;  but  I  was  absolutely  lost  in  the  darkness  of  a 
snow-storm,  and  forced  to  seek  counsel  as  well  as  shel 
ter.  In  this  plight  I  pressed  on  toward  a  light  glim 
mering  faintly  through  the  blinding  snow.  It  led  me 
into  the  shelter  of  the  porch  to  a  small  brown  house, 
cut  deeply  beneath  the  low  eaves,  and  protected  at  the 
sides  by  flanking  bedrooms.  My  knock  was  answered 
by  a  girlish  voice,  and  from  the  ensuing  parley, 
through  the  closed  door,  I  learned  that  she  was  the 
daughter  of  a  Baptist  exhorter,  and  that  she  was  alone 
in  the  house,  her  brother  being  away  at  the  village,  and 
her  father,  who  preached  the  day  before  at  some  dis 
tance,  riot  being  expected  home  until  the  next  morning. 
Reassured  by  my  civil-toned  inquiries  about  the  road, 
she  unfastened  the  door  and  came  out  to  the  porch, 
where  she  proceeded  to  instruct  me  how  to  go  on,  which 
was  just  the  thing  I  least  desired  to  do.  By  this  time 
I  had  discovered  the  political  complexion  of  the  family, 


A   HAKD   KOAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE 


285 


and,  making  myself  known,  was  instantly  invited  in, 
with  the  assurance  that  her  father  would  be  gravely 


'A-: 


displeased  if  she  permitted  me  to  go  on  before  he  re 
turned.    I  had  interrupted  my  little  benefactress  in 


286       ADVENTURES   AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE  CIVIL  WAR 

the  act  of  writing  a  letter,  on  a  sheet  of  foolscap, 
which  lay  on  an  old-fashioned  stand  in  one  corner  of 
the  room,  beside  the  ink-bottle  and  the  candlestick. 
In  the  diagonal  corner  stood  a  tall  bookcase,  the 
crowded  volumes  nestling  lovingly  behind  the  glass 
doors — the  only  collection  of  the  sort  that  I  saw  at 
any  time  in  the  mountains.  A  feather-bed  was  spread 
upon  the  floor,  the  head  raised  by  means  of  a  turned- 
down  chair,  and  here  I  was  reposing  comfortably  when 
the  brother  arrived.  It  was  late  in  the  forenoon  when 
the  minister  reached  home,  his  rickety  wagon  creaking 
through  the  snow,  and  drawn  at  a  snail's  pace  by  a 
long-furred,  knock-kneed  horse.  The  tall  but  not  very 
clerical  figure  was  wrapped  in  a  shawl  and  swathed 
round  the  throat  with  many  turns  of  a  woolen  tippet. 
The  daughter  ran  out  with  eagerness  to  greet  her 
father  and  tell  of  the  wonderful  arrival.  I  was  re 
ceived  with  genuine  delight.  It  was  the  enthusiasm 
of  a  patriot  eager  to  find  a  sympathetic  ear  for  his 
long-repressed  views.1 

When  night  came  and  no  entreaties  could  prevail  to 
detain  me  over  another  day,  the  minister  conducted 
me  some  distance  in  person,  passing  me  on  with  ample 

1  The  Eev.  James  H.  Duckworth,  asked  you,  '  Have  I  ever  seen  you 
now  postmaster  of  Brevard,  Tran-  before?'  Just  then  I  observed 
sylvaiiia  County,  North  Carolina,  your  uniform.  <Oh,  yes,'  said  I; 
and  in  1868  member  of  the  State  '  I  know  who  it  is  now.'  .  .  .  This 
Constitutional  Convention,  in  his  daughter  of  whom  you  speak  mar- 
letter  of  June  24,  1890,  says:  "I  ried  about  a  year  after,  and  is  liv- 
have  not  forgotten  those  things  of  ing  in  Morgantown,  North  Carolina, 
which  you  speak.  I  can  almost  see  about  one  hundred  miles  from  here. 
you  (even  in  imagination)  standing  Hattie  (for  that  is  her  name)  is  a 
at  the  fire  when  I  drove  up  to  the  pious,  religious  woman." 
gate  and  went  into  the  house  and 


A  HABD  KOAD   TO   TRAVEL  OUT   OF  DIXIE  287 

directions  to  another  exhorter,  who  was  located  for  that 
night  at  the  house  of  a  miller  who  kept  a  ferocious  dog. 
I  came  first  to  the  pond  and  then  to  the  mill,  and  got 
into  the  house  without  encountering  the  dog.  Aware 
of  the  necessity  of  arriving  before  bedtime,  I  had  made 
such  speed  as  to  find  the  miller's  family  still  lingering 
about  the  fireplace  with  preacher  number  two  seated 
in  the  lay  circle.  That  night  I  slept  with  the  parson, 
who  sat  up  in  bed  in  the  morning,  and  after  disencum 
bering  himself  of  a  striped  extinguisher  nightcap,  elec 
trified  the  other  sleepers  by  announcing  that  this  was 
the  first  time  he  had  ever  slept  with  a  Yankee.  After 
breakfast  the  parson,  armed  with  staff  and  scrip,  signi 
fied  his  purpose  to  walk  with  me  during  the  day,  as  it 
was  no  longer  dangerous  to  move  by  daylight.  We 
must  have  been  traveling  the  regular  Baptist  road, 
for  we  lodged  that  night  at  the  house  of  another  lay 
brother.  The  minister  continued  with  me  a  few  miles 
in  the  morning,  intending  to  put  me  in  the  company  of 
a  man  who  was  going  toward  Casher's  Valley  on  a  hunt 
ing  expedition.  When  we  reached  his  house,  however, 
the  hunter  had  gone ;  so,  after  parting  with  my  guide, 
I  set  forward  through  the  woods,  following  the  tracks 
of  the  hunter's  horse.  The  shoe-prints  were  sometimes 
plainly  impressed  in  the  snow,  and  again  for  long  dis 
tances  over  dry  leaves  and  bare  ground  but  an  occa 
sional  trace  could  be  found.  It  was  past  noon  when  I 
arrived  at  the  house  where  the  hunters  were  assembled. 
Quite  a  number  of  men  were  gathered  in  and  about  the 
porch,  just  returned  from  the  chase.  Blinded  by  the 
snow  over  which  I  had  been  walking  in  the  glare  of  the 
sun,  I  blundered  up  the  steps,  inquiring  without  much 


288       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

tact  for  the  rider  wlio  had  preceded  me,  and  was  no 
little  alarmed  at  receiving  a  rude  and  gruff  reception. 
I  continued  in  suspense  for  some  time,  until  my  man 
found  an  opportunity  to  inform  me  that  there  were 
suspicious  persons  present,  thus  accounting  for  his 
unexpected  manner.  The  explanation  was  made  at  a 
combination  meal,  serving  for  both  dinner  and  supper, 
and  consisting  exclusively  of  beans.  I  set  out  at  twi 
light  to  make  a  walk  of  thirteen  miles  to  the  house  of 
our  old  friend  Esquire  Hooper.  Eager  for  the  cordial 
welcome  which  I  knew  awaited  me,  and  nerved  by  the 
frosty  air,  I  sped  over  the  level  wood  road,  much  of  the 
way  running  instead  of  walking.  Three  times  I  came 
upon  bends  of  the  same  broad  rivulet.  Taking  off  my 
shoes  and  stockings  and  rolling  up  my  trousers  above 
my  knees,  I  tried  the  first  passage.  Flakes  of  broken 
ice  were  eddying  against  the  banks,  and  before  gaining 
the  middle  of  the  stream  my  feet  and  ankles  ached  with 
the  cold,  the  sharp  pain  increasing  at  every  step  until 
I  threw  my  blanket  on  the  opposite  bank  and  spring 
ing  upon  it  wrapped  my  feet  in  its  dry  folds.  Rising  a 
little  knoll  soon  after  making  the  third  ford,  I  came 
suddenly  upon  the  familiar  stopping-place  of  my  former 
journey.  It  was  scarcely  more  than  nine  o'clock,  and 
the  little  hardships  of  the  journey  from  Caesar's  Head 
seemed  but  a  cheap  outlay  for  the  joy  of  the  meeting 
with  friends  so  interested  in  the  varied  fortunes  of  my 
self  and  my  late  companions.  Together  we  rejoiced  at 
the  escape  of  Sill  and  Lamson,  and  made  merry  over 
the  vicissitudes  of  my  checkered  career.  Here  I  first 
learned  of  the  safe  arrival  in  Tennessee  of  Knapp,  Man 
Heady,  and  old  Tom  Handcock. 


A   HARD   EGAD   TO   TEAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  289 

After  a  day's  rest  I  climbed  the  mountains  to  the 
Headen  cabin,  now  presided  over  by  the  heroine  of  the 
heifer-bell,  in  the  absence  of  her  fugitive  husband.  Sad 
dling  her  horse,  she  took  me  the  next  evening  to  join  a 
lad  who  was  about  starting  for  Shooting  Creek.  Young 
Green  was  awaiting  my  arrival,  and  after  a  brief  delay 
we  were  off  on  a  journey  of  something  like  sixty  miles; 
the  journey,  however,  was  pushed  to  a  successful  ter 
mination  by  the  help  of  information  gleaned  by  the 
way.  It  was  at  the  close  of  the  last  night's  march, 
which  had  been  long  and  uneventful,  except  that  we 
had  surmounted  no  fewer  than  three  snow-capped 
ridges,  that  my  blacksmith's  shoes,  soaked  to  a  pulp 
by  the  wet  snow,  gave  out  altogether.  On  the  top  of 
the  last  ridge  I  found  myself  panting  in  the  yellow  light 
of  the  rising  sun,  the  sad  wrecks  of  my  two  shoes  dang 
ling  from  my  hands,  a  wilderness  of  beauty  spread  out 
before  me,  and  a  sparkling  field  of  frosty  forms  beneath 
my  tingling  feet.  Stretching  far  into  the  west  toward 
the  open  country  of  East  Tennessee  was  the  limitless 
wilderness  of  mountains,  drawn  like  mighty  furrows 
across  the  toilsome  way,  the  pale  blue  of  the  uttermost 
ridges  fading  into  an  imperceptible  union  with  the  sky. 
A  log  house  was  in  sight  down  in  the  valley,  a  perpen 
dicular  column  of  smoke  rising  from  its  single  chimney. 
Toward  this  we  picked  our  way,  I  in  my  stocking  feet, 
and  my  boy  guide  confidently  predicting  that  we  should 
find  the  required  cobbler.  Of  course  we  found  him  in  a 
country  where  every  family  makes  its  own  shoes  as 
much  as  its  own  bread,  and  he  was  ready  to  serve  the 
traveler  without  pay.  Notwithstanding  our  night's 
work,  we  tarried  only  for  the  necessary  repairs,  and 


290       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

just  before  sunset  we  looked  down  upon  the  scattering 
settlement  of  Shooting  Creek.  Standing  on  the  bleak 
brow  of  "  Chunky  Grail "  Mountain,  my  guide  recog 
nized  the  first  familiar  object  on  the  trip,  which  was 
the  roof  of  his  uncle's  house.  At  Shooting  Creek  I  was 
the  guest  of  the  Widow  Kitchen,  whose  house  was  the 
chief  one  in  the  settlement,  and  whose  estate  boasted 
two  slaves.  The  husband  had  fallen  by  an  anonymous 
bullet  while  salting  his  cattle  on  the  mountain  in  an 
early  year  of  the  war. 

On  the  day  following  my  arrival  I  was  conducted 
over  a  ridge  to  another  creek,  where  I  met  two  profes 
sional  guides,  Quince  Edmonston  and  Mack  Hooper. 
As  I  came  upon  the  pair  parting  a  thicket  of  laurel, 
with  their  long  rifles  at  a  shoulder,  I  instantly  recog 
nized  the  coat  of  the  latter  as  the  snuff -colored  sack  in 
which  I  had  last  seen  Lieutenant  Larnson.  It  had 
been  given  to  the  man  at  Chattanooga,  where  these 
same  guides  had  conducted  my  former  companions  in 
safety  a  month  before.  Quince  Edmonston,  the  elder, 
had  led  numerous  parties  of  Yankee  officers  over  the 
Wacheesa  trail  for  a  consideration  of  a  hundred  dol 
lars,  pledged  to  be  paid  by  each  officer  at  Chattanooga 
or  Nashville. 

Two  other  officers  were  concealed  near  by,  and  a 
number  of  refugees,  awaiting  a  convoy,  and  an  ar 
rangement  was  rapidly  made  with  the  guides.  The 
swollen  condition  of  the  Valley  Eiver  made  it  neces 
sary  to  remain  for  several  days  at  Shooting  Creek  be 
fore  setting  out.  Mack  and  I  were  staying  at  the 
house  of  Mrs.  Kitchen.  It  was  on  the  afternoon  of  a 
memorable  Friday,  the  rain  still  falling  in  torrents 


A   HAKD   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE 


291 


without,  that  I  sat  before  the  fire  poring  over  a  small 
Sunday-school  book,— the  only  printed  book  in  the 


house,  if  not  in  the  settlement.     Mack  Hooper  was  sit 
ting  by  the  door.    Attracted  by  a  rustling  sound  in 


292       ADVENTURES   AND    ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR 

his  direction,  I  looked  up  just  in  time  to  see  his  heels 
disappearing  under  the  nearest  bed.  Leaping  to  my 
feet  with  an  instinctive  impulse  to  do  likewise,  I  was 
confronted  in  the  doorway  by  a  stalwart  Confederate 
officer  fully  uniformed  and  armed.  Behind  him  was 
his  quartermaster-sergeant.  This  was  a  government 
party  collecting  the  tax  in  kind,  which  at  that  time 
throughout  the  Confederacy  was  the  tenth  part  of  all 
crops  and  other  farm  productions.  It  was  an  ugly 
surprise.  Seeing  no  escape,  I  ventured  a  remark  on 
the  weather :  only  a  stare  in  reply.  A  plan  of  escape 
flashed  through  my  mind  like  an  inspiration.  I  seated 
myself  quietly,  and  for  an  instant  bent  my  eyes  upon 
the  printed  pages.  The  two  soldiers  had  advanced  to 
the  corner  of  the  chimney  nearest  the  door,  inquiring 
for  the  head  of  the  family,  and  keeping  their  eyes  riv 
eted  on  my  hostile  uniform.  At  this  juncture  I  was 
seized  with  a  severe  fit  of  coughing.  With  one  hand 
upon  my  chest,  I  walked  slowly  past  the  men,  and  laid 
my  carefully  opened  book  face  down  upon  a  chest. 
With  another  step  or  two  I  was  in  the  porch,  and 
bounding  into  the  kitchen  I  sprang  out  through  a 
window  already  opened  by  the  women  for  my  exit. 
Away  I  sped  bareheaded  through  the  pelting  rain,  now 
crashing  through  thick  underbrush,  now  up  to  my 
waist  in  swollen  streams,  plunging  on  and  on,  only 
mindful  to  select  a  course  that  would  baffle  horsemen 
in  pursuit.  After  some  miles  of  running  I  took  cover 
behind  a  stack,  within  view  of  the  road  which  Mack 
must  take  in  retreating  to  the  other  settlement ;  and 
sure  enough  here  he  was,  coming  down  the  road  with 
my  cap  and  haversack,  which  was  already  loaded  for 


A   HARD    110 AD   TO   TRAVEL    OUT   OF   DIXIE  293 

the  western  journey.  Mack  had  remained  undiscov 
ered  under  the  bed,  an  interested  listener  to  the  con 
versation  that  ensued.  The  officer  had  been  assured 
that  I  was  a  friendly  scout ;  but,  convinced  of  the  con 
trary  by  my  flight,  he  had  departed  swearing  he  would 
capture  that  Yankee  before  morning  if  he  had  to 
search  the  whole  settlement.  So  alarmed  were  we  for 
our  safety  that  we  crossed  that  night  into  a  third  val 
ley  and  slept  in  the  loft  of  a  horse-barn. 

On  Sunday  our  expedition  assembled  on  a  hillside 
overlooking  Shooting  Creek,  where  our  friends  in  the 
secret  of  the  movement  came  up  to  bid  us  adieu.  With 
guides  we  were  a  party  of  thirteen  or  fourteen,  but  only 
three  of  us  officers  who  were  to  pay  for  our  safe  con 
duct.  Each  man  carried  his  supply  of  bread  and  meat 
and  bedding.  Some  were  wrapped  in  faded  bed-quilts 
and  some  in  tattered  army  blankets;  nearly  all  wore 
ragged  clothes,  broken  shoes,  and  had  unkempt  beards. 
We  arrived  upon  a  mountain -side  overlooking  the  set 
tlement  of  Peach  Tree,  and  were  awaiting  the  friendly 
shades  of  night  under  which  to  descend  to  the  house  of 
the  man  who  was  to  put  us  across  Valley  River.  Pre 
mature  darkness  was  accompanied  with  torrents  of 
rain,  through  which  we  followed  our  now  uncertain 
guides.  At  last  the  light  of  the  cabin  we  were  seeking 
gleamed  humidly  through  the  trees.  Most  of  the  family 
fled  into  the  outhouses  at  our  approach,  some  of  them 
not  reappearing  until  we  were  disposed  for  sleep  in 
a  half -circle  before  the  fire.  The  last  arrivals  were 
two  tall  women  in  homespun  dresses  and  calico  sun- 
bonnets.  They  slid  timidly  in  at  the  door,  with  averted 
faces,  and  then  with  a  rush  and  a  bounce  covered 


294        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

themselves  out  of  sight  in  a  bed,  where  they  had  prob 
ably  been  sleeping  in  the  same  clothing  when  we  ap 
proached  the  house.  Here  we  learned  that  a  cavalcade 
of  four  hundred  Texan  Eangers  had  advanced  into 
Tennessee  by  the  roads  on  the  day  before.  Our  guides, 
familiar  with  the  movements  of  these  dreaded  troopers, 
calculated  that  with  the  day's  delay  enforced  by  the 
state  of  the  river  a  blow  would  have  been  struck  and 
the  marauders  would  be  in  full  retreat  before  we  should 
arrive  on  the  ground.  We  passed  that  day  concealed 
in  a  stable,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  sufficiently  dark  we 
proceeded  in  a  body  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  attended 
by  a  man  and  a  horse.  The  stream  was  narrow,  but 
the  current  was  full  and  swift.  The  horse  breasted  the 
flood  with  difficulty,  but  he  bore  us  all  across  one  at  a 
time,  seated  behind  the  farmer. 

We  had  now  left  behind  us  the  last  settlement,  and 
before  us  lay  only  wild  and  uninhabited  mountains. 
The  trail  we  traveled  was  an  Indian  path  extending  for 
nearly  seventy  miles  through  an  uninhabited  wilder 
ness.  Instead  of  crossing  the  ridges  it  follows  the  trend 
of  the  range,  winding  for  the  most  part  along  the  crests 
of  the  divides.  The  occasional  traveler,  having  once 
mounted  to  its  level,  pursues  his  solitary  way  with  lit 
tle  climbing. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  our  little 
party  was  assembled  upon  the  last  mountain  overlook 
ing  the  open  country  of  East  Tennessee.  Some  of  us 
had  been  wandering  in  the  mountains  for  the  whole 
winter.  We  were  returning  to  a  half -forgotten  world 
of  farms  and  fences,  roads  and  railways.  Below  us 
stretched  the  Tellico  River  away  toward  the  line  of 


A   HAED   ROAD   TO   TRAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  295 

towns  marking  the  course  of  the  Nashville  and  Chatta 
nooga  Eailroad.  One  of  the  guides  who  had  ventured 
down  to  the  nearest  house  returned  with  information 


THE  MEETING  WITH  THE  SECOND  OHIO  HEAVY  ARTILLERY. 

that  the  four  hundred  Texan  Rangers  had  burned  the 
depot  at  Philadelphia  Station  the  day  before,  but  were 
now  thought  to  be  out  of  the  country.  We  could  see 
the  distant  smoke  arising  from  the  ruins.  Where  the 
river  flowed  out  of  the  mountains  were  extensive  iron- 


290        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

works,  the  property  of  a  loyal  citizen,  and  in  front  of 
his  house  we  halted  for  consultation.  He  regretted 
that  we  had  shown  ourselves  so  soon,  as  the  rear-guard 
of  the  marauders  had  passed  the  night  within  sight  of 
where  we  now  stood.  Our  nearest  pickets  were  at 
Loudon,  thirty  miles  distant  on  the  railway,  and  for 
this  station  we  were  advised  to  make  all  speed. 

For  half  a  mile  the  road  ran  along  the  bank  of  the 
river,  and  then  turned  around  a  wooded  bluff  to  the 
right.  Opposite  this  bluff  and  accessible  by  a  shal 
low  ford  was  another  hill,  where  it  was  feared  that 
some  of  the  Rangers  were  still  lingering  about  their 
camp.  As  we  came  to  the  turn  in  the  road  our  com 
pany  was  walking  rapidly  in  Indian  file,  guide  Edmon- 
ston  and  I  at  the  front.  Coming  around  the  bluff  from 
the  opposite  direction  was  a  countryman  mounted  on 
a  powerful  gray  mare.  His  overcoat  was  army  blue, 
but  he  wore  a  bristling  fur  cap,  and  his  rifle  was  slung 
on  his  back.  At  sight  of  us  he  turned  in  his  saddle  to 
shout  to  some  one  behind,  and  bringing  his  gun  to 
bear  came  tearing  and  swearing  down  the  road,  spat 
tering  the  gravel  under  the  big  hoofs  of  the  gray. 
Close  at  his  heels  rode  two  officers  in  Confederate  gray 
uniforms,  and  a  motley  crowd  of  riders  closed  up  the 
road  behind.  In  an  instant  the  guide  and  I  were  sur 
rounded,  the  whole  cavalcade  leveling  their  guns  at 
the  thicket  and  calling  on  our  companions,  who  could 
be  plainly  heard  crashing  through  the  bushes,  to  halt. 
The  dress  of  but  few  of  our  captors  could  be  seen, 
nearly  all  being  covered  with  rubber  talmas ;  but  their 
mounts,  including  mules  as  well  as  horses,  were 
equipped  with  every  variety  of  bridle  and  saddle  to  be 


A   HAKD   ROAD   TO   TEAVEL   OUT   OF   DIXIE  297 

imagined.  I  knew  at  a  glance  that  this  was  no  body 
of  our  cavalry.  If  we  were  in  the  hands  of  the 
Rangers,  the  fate  of  the  guides  and  refugees  would  be 
the  hardest.  I  thought  they  might  spare  the  lives  of 
the  officers.  "Who  are  you?  What  are  you  doing 
here  ? "  demanded  the  commander,  riding  up  to  us  and 
scrutinizing  our  rags.  I  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then, 
throwing  off  the  blanket  I  wore  over  my  shoulders, 
simply  said,  "  You  can  see  what  I  am."  My  rags  were 
the  rags  of  a  uniform,  and  spoke  for  themselves. 

Our  captors  proved  to  be  a  company  of  the  2d  Ohio 
Heavy  Artillery,  in  pursuit  of  the  marauders  into 
whose  clutches  we  thought  we  had  fallen.  The  farmer 
on  the  gray  mare  was  the  guide  of  the  expedition,  and 
the  two  men  uniformed  as  rebel  officers  were  Union 
scouts.  The  irregular  equipment  of  the  animals, 
which  had  excited  my  suspicion  most,  as  well  as  the 
animals  themselves,  had  been  hastily  impressed  from 
the  country  about  the  village  of  Loudon,  where  the  2d 
Ohio  was  stationed.  On  the  following  evening,  which 
was  the  4th  of  March,  the  day  of  the  second  inaugura 
tion  of  President  Lincoln,  we  walked  into  Loudon  and 
gladly  surrendered  ourselves  to  the  outposts  of  the 
Ohio  Heavy  Artillery. 


ESCAPE   OF  GENERAL   BRECKINEIDGE 

BY  JOHN   TAYLOR  WOOD 

AS  one  of  the  aides  of  President  Jefferson  Davis,  I 
~L\~  left  Richmond  with  him  and  his  cabinet  on  April 
2,  1865,  the  night  of  evacuation,  and  accompanied  him 
through  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  and  G-eorgia,  until  his 
capture.  Except  Lieutenant  Barn  well,  I  was  the  only 
one  of  the  party  who  escaped.  After  our  surprise,  I 
was  guarded  by  a  trooper,  a  German,  who  had  appro 
priated  my  horse  and  most  of  my  belongings.  I  deter 
mined,  if  possible,  to  escape ;  but  after  witnessing  Mr. 
Davis's  unsuccessful  attempt,  I  was  doubtful  of  suc 
cess.  However,  I  consulted  him,  and  he  advised  me 
to  try.  Taking  my  guard  aside,  I  asked  him,  by  signs 
(for  he  could  speak  little  or  no  English),  to  accom 
pany  me  outside  the  picket-line  to  the  swamp,  show 
ing  him  at  the  same  time  a  twenty-dollar  gold  piece. 
He  took  it,  tried  the  weight  of  it  in  his  hands,  and  put 
it  between  his  teeth.  Fully  satisfied  that  it  was  not 
spurious,  he  escorted  me  with  his  carbine  to  the 
stream,  the  banks  of  which  were  lined  with  a  few 
straggling  alder-bushes  and  thick  saw-grass.  I  mo 
tioned  him  to  return  to  camp,  only  a  few  rods  distant. 
He  shook  his  head,  saying,  "  Nein,  nein."  I  gave  him 
another  twenty-dollar  gold  piece;  he  chinked  them 
together,  and  held  up  two  fingers.  I  turned  my 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEKAL  BKECKINRIDGE  299 

pockets  inside  out,  and  then,  satisfied  that  I  had  no 
more,  he  left  me. 

Creeping  a  little  farther  into  the  swamp,  I  lay  con 
cealed  for  about  three  hoars  in  the  most  painful  posi 
tion,  sometimes  moving  a  few  yards  almost  venire  a 
terre  to  escape  notice ;  for  I  was  within  hearing  of  the 
camps  on  each  side  of  the  stream,  and  often  when  the 
soldiers  came  down  for  water,  or  to  water  their  horses, 
I  was  within  a  few  yards  of  them.  Some  two  hours 
or  more  passed  thus  before  the  party  moved.  The 
wagons  left  first,  then  the  bugles  sounded,  and  the 
president  started  on  one  of  his  carriage-horses,  fol 
lowed  by  his  staff  and  a  squadron  of  the  enemy. 
Shortly  after  their  departure  I  saw  some  one  leading 
two  abandoned  horses  into  the  swamp,  and  recognized 
Lieutenant  Barn  well  of  our  escort.  Secreting  the 
horses,  we  picked  up  from  the  debris  of  the  camp  parts 
of  two  saddles  and  bridles,  and  with  some  patching 
and  tying  fitted  out  our  horses,  as  sad  and  war-worn 
animals  as  ever  man  bestrode.  Though  hungry  and 
tired,  we  gave  the  remains  of  the  camp  provisions  to 
a  Mr.  Fenn  for  dinner.  He  recommended  us  to  Widow 
Paulk's,  ten  miles  distant,  an  old  lady  rich  in  cattle 
alone. 

The  day  after  my  escape,  I  met  Judah  P.  Benjamin 
as  M.  Bonfals,  a  French  gentleman  traveling  for  in 
formation,  in  a  light  wagon,  with  Colonel  Leovie,  who 
acted  as  interpreter.  With  goggles  on,  his  beard  grown, 
a  hat  well  over  his  face,  and  a  large  cloak  hiding  his 
figure,  no  one  would  have  recognized  him  as  the  late 
secretary  of  state  of  the  Confederacy.  I  told  him  of 
the  capture  of  Mr.  Davis  and  his  party,  and  made  an 


300       ADVENTUEES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAE 

engagement  to  meet  him  near  Madison,  Florida,  and 
there  decide  upon  our  future  movements.  He  was 
anxious  to  push  on,  and  left  us  to  follow  more  leisurely, 
passing  as  paroled  soldiers  returning  home.  For  the 
next  three  days  we  traveled  as  fast  as  our  poor  horses 
would  permit,  leading  or  driving  them ;  for  even  if  they 
had  been  strong  enough,  their  backs  were  in  such  a 
condition  that  we  could  not  ride.  We  held  on  to  them 
simply  in  the  hope  that  we  might  be  able  to  dispose  of 
them  or  exchange  them  to  advantage ;  but  we  finally 
were  forced  to  abandon  one. 

On  the  13th  we  passed  through  Yaldosta,  the  first 
place  since  leaving  Washington,  in  upper  Georgia,  in 
which  we  were  able  to  purchase  anything.  Here  I 
secured  two  hickory  shirts  and  a  pair  of  socks,  a  most 
welcome  addition  to  my  outfit ;  for,  except  what  I  stood 
in,  I  had  left  all  my  baggage  behind.  Near  Valdosta 
we  found  Mr.  Osborne  Barn  well,  an  uncle  of  my  young 
friend,  a  refugee  from  the  coast  of  South  Carolina, 
where  he  had  lost  a  beautiful  estate,  surrounded  with 
all  the  comforts  and  elegances  which  wealth  and  a 
refined  taste  could  offer.  Here  in  the  pine  forests,  as 
far  as  possible  from  the  paths  of  war,  and  almost  out 
side  of  civilization,  he  had  brought  his  family  of  ladies 
and  children,  and  with  the  aid  of  his  servants,  most  of 
whom  had  followed  him,  had  built  with  a  few  tools 
a  rough  log  cabin  with  six  or  eight  rooms,  but  without 
nails,  screws,  bolts,  or  glass — almost  as  primitive  a 
building  as  Eobinson  Crusoe's.  But,  in  spite  of  all 
drawbacks,  the  ingenuity  and  deft  hands  of  the  ladies 
had  given  to  the  premises  an  air  of  comfort  and  refine 
ment  that  was  most  refreshing.  Here  I  rested  two 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BEECKINEIDGE  301 

days,  enjoying  the  company  of  this  charming  family, 
with  whom  Lieutenant  Barnwell  remained.  On  the 
15th  I  crossed  into  Florida,  and  rode  to  General  Finne- 
gan's,  near  Madison.  Here  I  met  General  Breckinridge, 
the  late  secretary  of  war  of  the  Confederacy,  alias 
Colonel  Cabell,  and  his  aide,  Colonel  Wilson, —  a  pleasant 
encounter  for  both  parties.  Mr.  Benjamin  had  been  in 
the  neighborhood,  but,  hearing  that  the  enemy  were  in 
Madison,  had  gone  off  at  a  tangent.  We  were  fully 
posted  as  to  the  different  routes  to  the  seaboard  by 
General  Finnegan,  and  discussed  with  him  the  most 
feasible  way  of  leaving  the  country.  I  inclined  to  the 
eastern  coast,  and  this  was  decided  on.  I  exchanged 
my  remaining  horse  with  General  Finnegan  for  a  better, 
giving  him  fifty  dollars  to  boot.  Leaving  Madison,  we 
crossed  the  Suwanee  River  at  Moody's  Ferry,  and  took 
the  old  St.  Augustine  road,  but  seldom  traveled  in  late 
years,  as  it  leads  through  a  pine  Avilderness,  and  there 
is  one  stretch  of  twenty  miles  with  only  water  of  bad 
quality,  at  the  Diable  Sinks.  I  rode  out  of  my  way 
some  fifteen  miles  to  Mr.  Yulee's,  formerly  senator  of 
the  United  States,  and  afterward  Confederate  senator, 
hoping  to  meet  Mr.  Benjamin ;  but  he  was  too  wily  to 
be  found  at  the  house  of  a  friend.  Mr.  Yulee  was  ab 
sent  on  my  arrival,  but  Mrs.  Yulee,  a  charming  lady, 
and  one  of  a  noted  family  of  beautiful  women,  wel 
comed  me  heartily.  Mr.  Yulee  returned  during  the 
night  from  Jacksonville,  and  gave  me  the  first  news  of 
what  was  going  on  in  the  world  that  I  had  had  for 
nearly  a  month,  including  the  information  that  Mr. 
Davis  and  party  had  reached  Hilton  Head  on  their 
way  north. 


302       ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAK 

Another  day's  ride  brought  us  to  the  house  of  the 
brothers  William  and  Samuel  Owens,  two  wealthy  and 
hospitable  gentlemen,  near  Orange  Lake.  Here  I  re 
joined  General  Breckinridge,  and  we  were  advised  to 
secure  the  services  and  experience  of  Captain  Dickin 
son.  We  sent  to  Waldo  for  him,  and  a  most  valuable 
friend  he  proved.  During  the  war  he  had  rendered 
notable  services;  among  others  he  had  surprised  and 
captured  the  United  States  gunboat  Columbine  on  the 
St.  John's  Eiver,  one  of  whose  small  boats  he  had  re 
tained,  and  kept  concealed  near  the  banks  of  the  river. 
This  boat  with  two  of  his  best  men  he  now  put  at  our 
disposal,  with  orders  to  meet  us  on  the  upper  St.  John. 

We  now  passed  through  a  much  more  interesting 
country  than  the  two  or  three  hundred  miles  of  pines 
we  had  just  traversed.  It  was  better  watered,  the 
forests  were  more  diversified  with  varied  species,  occa 
sionally  thickets  or  hummocks  were  met  with,  and  later 
these  gave  place  to  swamps  and  everglades  with  a  tropi 
cal  vegetation.  The  road  led  by  Silver  Spring,  the  clear 
and  crystal  waters  of  which  show  at  the  depth  of 
hundreds  of  feet  almost  as  distinctly  as  though  seen 
through  air. 

We  traveled  incognito,  known  only  to  good  friends, 
who  sent  us  stage  by  stage  from  one  to  another,  and 
by  all  we  were  welcomed  most  kindly.  Besides  those 
mentioned,  I  recall  with  gratitude  the  names  of  Judge 
Dawkins,  Mr.  Mann,  Colonel  Summers,  Major  Stork, 
all  of  whom  overwhelmed  us  with  kindness,  offering  us 
of  everything  they  had.  Of  money  they  were  as  bare 
as  ourselves,  for  Confederate  currency  had  disappeared 
as  suddenly  as  snow  before  a  warm  sun,  and  green- 


ESCAPE    OF   GENERAL   BEECKINKIDGE  303 

backs  were  as  yet  unknown.  Before  leaving  our 
friends,  we  laid  in  a  three  weeks'  supply  of  stores; 
for  we  could  not  depend  upon  obtaining  any  further 
south. 

On  May  25  we  struck  the  St.  John's  Eiver  at  Fort 
Butler,  opposite  Yolusia,  where  we  met  Russell  and 
O'Toole,  two  of  Dickinson's  command,  in  charge  of  the 
boat;  and  two  most  valuable  and  trustworthy  com 
rades  they  proved  to  be,  either  in  camp  or  in  the  boat, 
as  hunters  or  fishermen.  The  boat  was  a  man-of-war's 
small  four-oared  gig ;  her  outfit  was  scanty,  but  what 
was  necessary  we  rapidly  improvised.  Here  General 
Breckinridge  and  I  gave  our  horses  to  our  compan 
ions,  and  thus  ended  my  long  ride  of  a  thousand  miles 
from  Virginia. 

Stowing  our  supplies  away,  we  bade  good-by  to  our 
friends,  and  started  up  the  river  with  a  fair  wind. 
Our  party  consisted  of  General  Breckinridge ;  his  aide, 
Colonel  Wilson  of  Kentucky;  the  general's  servant, 
Tom,  who  had  been  with  him  all  through  the  war ;  be 
sides  Russell,  O'Toole,  and  I, — six  in  all.  With  our 
stores,  arms,  etc.,  it  was  a  tight  fit  to  get  into  the  boat; 
there  was  no  room,  to  lie  down  or  to  stretch.  At  night 
we  landed,  and,  like  old  campaigners,  were  soon  com 
fortable.  But  at  midnight  the  rain  came  down  in 
bucketfuls,  and  continued  till  nearly  morning;  and, 
notwithstanding  every  effort,  a  large  portion  of  our 
supplies  were  soaked  and  rendered  worthless,  and, 
what  was  worse,  some  of  our  powder  shared  the  same 
fate. 

Morning  broke  on  a  thoroughly  drenched  and  un 
happy  company;  but  a  little  rum  and  water,  with  a 


304       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

corn-dodger  and  the  rising  sun,  soon  stirred  us,  and 
with  a  fair  wind  we  made  a  good  day's  run, — some 
thirty-five  miles.  Except  the  ruins  of  two  huts,  there 
was  no  sign  that  a  human  being  had  ever  visited  these 
waters;  for  the  war  and  the  occasional  visit  of  a 
gunboat  had  driven  off  the  few  settlers.  The  river 
gradually  became  narrower  and  more  tortuous  as  we 
approached  its  head  waters.  The  banks  are  generally 
low,  with  a  few  sandy  elevations,  thickly  wooded  or 
swampy.  Occasionally  we  passed  a  small  opening,  or 
savanna,  on  which  were  sometimes  feeding  a  herd  of 
wild  cattle  and  deer ;  at  the  latter  we  had  several  pot 
shots,  all  wide.  Alligators,  as  immovable  as  the  logs 
on  which  they  rested,  could  be  counted  by  hundreds, 
and  of  all  sizes  up  to  twelve  or  fifteen  feet.  Occasion 
ally,  as  we  passed  uncomfortably  near,  we  could  not 
resist,  even  with  our  scant  supply  of  ammunition,  giv 
ing  them  a  little  cold  lead  between  the  head  and  shoul 
ders,  the  only  vulnerable  place.  With  a  fair  wind  we 
sailed  the  twelve  miles  across  Lake  Monroe,  a  pretty 
sheet  of  water,  the  deserted  huts  of  Enterprise  arid 
Mellon ville  on  each  side.  Above  the  lake  the  river  be 
came  still  narrower  and  more  tortuous,  dividing  some 
times  into  numerous  branches,  most  of  which  proved 
to  be  mere  culs-de-sac.  The  long  moss,  reaching  from 
the  overhanging  branches  to  the  water,  gave  to  the 
surroundings  a  most  weird  and  funereal  aspect. 

On  May  29  we  reached  Lake  Harney,  whence  we 
determined  to  make  the  portage  to  Indian  Eiver. 
O'Toole  was  sent  to  look  for  some  means  of  moving 
our  boat.  He  returned  next  day  with  two  small  black 
bulls  yoked  to  a  pair  of  wheels  such  as  are  used  by 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BRECKINEIDGE  305 

lumbermen.  Their  owner  was  a  compound  of  Cauca 
sian,  African,  and  Indian,  with  the  shrewdness  of  the 
white,  the  good  temper  of  the  negro,  and  the  indolence 
of  the  red  man.  He  was  at  first  exorbitant  in  his  de 
mands;  but  a  little  money,  some  tobacco,  and  a  spare 
fowling-piece  made  him  happy,  and  he  was  ready  to 
let  us  drive  his  beasts  to  the  end  of  the  peninsula.  It 
required  some  skill  to  mount  the  boat  securely  on 
the  wheels  and  to  guard  against  any  upsets  or  col 
lisions,  for  our  escape  depended  upon  carrying  it 
safely  across. 

The  next  morning  we  made  an  early  start.  Our 
course  was  an  easterly  one,  through  a  roadless,  flat, 
sandy  pine-barren,  with  an  occasional  thicket  and 
swamp.  From  the  word  "  go  "  trouble  with  the  bulls 
began.  Their  owner  seemed  to  think  that  in  furnish 
ing  them  he  had  fulfilled  his  part  of  the  contract. 
They  would  neither  "gee"  nor  "haw";  if  one  started 
ahead,  the  other  would  go  astern.  If  by  accident  they 
started  ahead  together,  they  would  certainly  bring  up 
with  their  heads  on  each  side  of  a  tree.  Occasionally 
they  would  lie  down  in  a  pool  to  get  rid  of  the  flies, 
and  only  by  the  most  vigorous  prodding  could  they  be 
induced  to  move. 

Paul,  the  owner,  would  loiter  in  the  rear,  but  was 
always  on  hand  when  we  halted  for  meals.  Finally  we 
told  him,  "  No  work,  no  grub ;  no  drive  bulls,  no  to 
bacco."  This  roused  him  to  help  us.  Two  days  were 
thus  occupied  in  covering  eighteen  miles.  It  would 
have  been  less  labor  to  have  tied  the  beasts,  put  them 
into  the  boat,  and  hauled  it  across  the  portage.  The 
weather  was  intensely  hot,  and  our  time  was  made 


20 


300        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

miserable  by  day  with  sand-flies,  and  by  night  with 
mosquitos. 

The  waters  of  Indian  River  were  a  most  welcome 
sight,  and  we  hoped  that  most  of  our  troubles  were 
over.  Paul  and  his  bulls  of  Bashan  were  gladly  dis 
missed  to  the  wilderness.  Our  first  care  was  to  make 
good  any  defects  in  our  boat :  some  leaks  were 
stopped  by  a  little  calking  and  pitching.  Already  our 
supply  of  provisions  began  to  give  us  anxiety:  only 
bacon  and  sweet  potatoes  remained.  The  meal  was 
wet  and  worthless,  and,  what  was  worse,  all  our  salt 
had  dissolved.  However,  with  the  waters  alive  with 
fish,  and  some  game  on  shore,  we  hoped  to  pull 
through. 

We  reached  Indian  River,  or  lagoon,  opposite  Cape 
Carnaveral.  It  extends  along  nearly  the  entire  eastern 
coast  of  Florida,  varying  in  width  from  three  to  six 
miles,  arid  is  separated  from  the  Atlantic  by  a  narrow 
sand  ridge,  which  is  pierced  at  different  points  by 
shifting  inlets.  It  is  very  shoal,  so  much  so  that  we 
were  obliged  to  haul  our  boat  out  nearly  half  a  mile 
before  she  would  float,  and  the  water  is  teeming  with 
stingarees,  sword-fish,  crabs,  etc.  But  once  afloat,  we 
headed  to  the  southward  with  a  fair  wind. 

For  four  days  we  continued  to  make  good  progress, 
taking  advantage  of  every  fair  wind  by  night  as  well 
as  by  day.  Here,  as  on  the  St.  John's  River,  the  same 
scene  of  desolation  as  far  as  human  beings  were  con 
cerned  was  presented.  We  passed  a  few  deserted 
cabins,  around  which  we  were  able  to  obtain  a  few 
cocoanuts  and  watermelons,  a  most  welcome  addi 
tion  to  our  slim  commissariat.  Unfortunately,  oranges 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEEAL   BEECKIN1UDGE 


307 


were  not  in  season.  Whenever  the  breeze  left  us  the 
heat  was  almost  suffocating;  there  was  no  escape  for 
it.  If  we  landed,  and  sought  any  shade,  the  mosquitos 
would  drive  us  at  once  to  the  glare  of  the  sun.  When 


308        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE    CIVIL    WAR 

sleeping  on  shore,  the  best  protection  was  to  bury  our 
selves  in  the  sand,  with  cap  drawn  down  over  the  head 
(my  buckskin  gauntlets  proved  invaluable) ;  if  in  the 
boat,  to  wrap  the  sail  or  tarpaulin  around  us.  Besides 
this  plague,  sand-flies,  gnats,  swamp-flies,  ants,  and 
other  insects  abounded.  The  little  black  ant  is  espe 
cially  bold  and  warlike.  If,  in  making  our  beds  in  the 
sand,  we  disturbed  one  of  their  hives,  they  would  rally 
in  thousands  to  the  attack,  and  the  only  safety  was  in 
a  hasty  shake  and  change  of  residence.  Passing  In 
dian  River  inlet,  the  river  broadens,  and  there  is  a 
thirty-mile  straight-away  course  to  Gilbert's  Bar,  or 
Old  Inlet,  now  closed;  then  begin  the  Jupiter  Nar 
rows,  where  the  channel  is  crooked,  narrow,  and  often 
almost  closed  by  the  dense  growth  of  mangroves, 
juniper,  saw-grass,  etc.,  making  a  jungle  that  only  a 
water-snake  could  penetrate.  Several  times  we  lost 
our  reckoning,  and  had  to  retreat  and  take  a  fresh 
start ;  an  entire  day  was  lost  in  these  everglades, 
which  extend  across  the  entire  peninsula.  Finally,  by 
good  luck,  we  stumbled  on  a  short  "  haulover  "  to  the 
sea,  and  determined  at  once  to  take  advantage  of  it, 
and  to  run  our  boat  across  and  launch  her  in  the  At 
lantic.  A  short  half-mile  over  the  sand-dunes,  and  we 
were  clear  of  the  swamps  and  marshes  of  Indian  River, 
and  were  reveling  in  the  Atlantic,  free,  at  least  for  a 
time,  from  mosquitos,  which  had  punctured  and  bled 
us  for  the  last  three  weeks. 

On  Sunday,  June  4,  we  passed  Jupiter  Inlet,  with 
nothing  in  sight.  The  lighthouse  had  been  destroyed 
the  first  year  of  the  war.  From  this  point  we  had  de 
termined  to  cross  Florida  Channel  to  the  Bahamas, 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BRECKINBIDGE  309 

about  eighty  miles ;  but  the  wind  was  ahead,  and  we 
could  do  nothing  but  work  slowly  to  the  southward, 
waiting  for  a  slant.  It  was  of  course  a  desperate  ven 
ture  to  cross  this  distance  in  a  small  open  boat,  which 
even  a  moderate  sea  would  swamp.  Our  provisions  now 
became  a  very  serious  question.  As  I  have  said,  we  had 
lost  all  the  meal,  and  the  sweet  potatoes,  our  next  main 
stay,  were  sufficient  only  for  two  days  more.  We  had 
but  little  more  ammunition  than  was  necessary  for  our 
revolvers,  and  these  we  might  be  called  upon  to  use  at 
any  time.  Very  fortunately  for  us,  it  was  the  time  of 
the  year  when  the  green  turtle  deposits  its  eggs.  Eus- 
sell  and  O'Toole  were  old  beach-combers,  and  had 
hunted  eggs  before.  Sharpening  a  stick,  they  pressed 
it  into  the  sand  as  they  walked  along,  and  wherever  it 
entered  easily  they  would  dig.  After  some  hours'  search 
we  were  successful  in  finding  a  nest  which  had  not  been 
destroyed,  and  I  do  not  think  prospectors  were  ever 
more  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  "  the  yellow  "  than  we 
were  at  our  find.  The  green  turtle's  egg  is  about  the 
size  of  a  walnut,  with  a  white  skin  like  parchment  that 
you  can  tear,  but  not  break.  The  yolk  will  cook  hard, 
but  the  longer  you  boil  the  egg  the  softer  the  white  be 
comes.  The  flavor  is  not  unpleasant,  and  for  the  first 
two  days  we  enjoyed  them ;  but  then  we  were  glad  to 
vary  the  fare  with  a  few  shell-fish  and  even  with  snails. 
From  Cape  Carnaveral  to  Cape  Florida  the  coast 
trends  nearly  north  and  south  in  a  straight  line,  so  that 
we  could  see  at  a  long  distance  anything  going  up  or 
down  the  shore.  Some  distance  to  the  southward  of 
Jupiter  Inlet  we  saw  a  steamer  coming  down,  running 
close  to  the  beach  to  avoid  the  three-  and  four-knot 


310       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES   IN  THE   CIVIL  WAK 

current  of  the  stream.     From  her  yards  and  general 
appearance  I  soon  made  her  out  to  be  a  cruiser,  so  we 


hauled  our  boat  well  up  on  the  sands,  turned  it  over  on 
its  side,  and  went  back  among  the  palmettos.  When 
abreast  of  us  and  not  more  than  half  a  mile  off,  with 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEBAL  BRECKINKIDGE  311 

colors  flying,  we  could  see  the  officer  of  the  deck  and 
others  closely  scanning  the  shore.  We  were  in  hopes 
they  would  look  upon  our  boat  as  flotsam  and  jetsam, 
of  which  there  was  more  or  less  strewn  upon  the  beach. 
To  our  great  relief,  the  cruiser  passed  us,  and  when  she 
was  two  miles  or  more  to  the  southward  we  ventured 
out  and  approached  the  boat,  but  the  sharp  lookout 
saw  us,  and,  to  our  astonishment,  the  steamer  came 
swinging  about,  and  headed  up  the  coast.  The  ques 
tion  at  once  arose,  What  was  the  best  course  to  pursue? 
The  general  thought  we  had  better  take  to  the  bush 
again,  and  leave  the  boat,  hoping  they  would  not  dis 
turb  it.  Colonel  Wilson  agreed  with  his  chief.  I  told 
him  that  since  we  had  been  seen,  the  enemy  would  cer 
tainly  destroy  or  carry  off  the  boat,  and  the  loss  meant, 
if  not  starvation,  at  least  privation,  and  no  hope  of 
escaping  from  the  country.  Besides,  the  mosquitos 
would  suck  us  as  dry  as  Egyptian  mummies.  I  pro 
posed  that  we  should  meet  them  half-way,  in  company 
with  Russell  and  O'Toole,  who  were  paroled  men,  and 
fortunately  had  their  papers  with  them,  and  I  offered 
to  row  off  and  see  what  was  wanted.  He  agreed,  and, 
launching  our  boat  and  throwing  in  two  buckets  of 
eggs,  we  pulled  out.  By  this  time  the  steamer  was 
abreast  of  us,  and  had  lowered  a  boat  which  met  us 
half-way.  I  had  one  oar,  and  O'Toole  the  other.  To 
the  usual  hail  I  paid  no  attention  except  to  stop  row 
ing.  A  ten-oared  cutter  with  a  smart-looking  crew 
dashed  alongside.  The  sheen  was  not  yet  off  the  lace 
and  buttons  of  the  youngster  in  charge.  With  revolver 
in  hand  he  asked  us  who  we  were,  where  we  came 
from,  and  where  we  were  going.  "  Cap'n,"  said  I, 


312       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

"please  put  away  that-ar  pistol, — I  don't  like  the  looks 
of  it, — and  I  '11  tell  you  all  about  us.  We  've  been  rebs, 
and  there  ain't  no  use  saying  we  were  n't ;  but  it 's  all  up 
now,  and  we  got  home  too  late  to  put  in  a  crop,  so  we 
just  made  up  our  minds  to  come  down  shore  and  see  if 
we  could  n't  find  something.  It 's  all  right,  Cap'n ;  we '  ve 
got  our  papers.  Want  to  see  'em  ?  Got  'em  fixed  up  at 
Jacksonville."  O'Toole  and  Russell  handed  him  their 
paroles,  which  he  said  were  all  right.  He  asked  for 
mine.  I  turned  my  pockets  out,  looked  in  my  hat,  and 
said :  "  I  must  er  dropped  mine  in  camp,  but 't  is  just 
the  same  as  theirn."  He  asked  who  was  ashore.  I  told 
him,  "There's  more  of  we-uns  b'iling  some  turtle-eggs 
for  dinner.  Cap'n,  I'd  like  to  swap  some  eggs  for 
tobacco  or  bread."  His  crew  soon  produced  from  the 
slack  of  their  frocks  pieces  of  plug,  which  they  passed 
on  board  in  exchange  for  our  eggs.  I  told  the  young 
ster  if  he  'd  come  to  camp  we  'd  give  him  as  many  as  he 
could  eat.  Our  hospitality  was  declined.  Among  other 
questions  he  asked  if  there  were  any  batteries  on  shore 
— a  battery  on  a  beach  where  there  was  not  a  white 
man  within  a  hundred  miles!  "Up  oars — let  go  for 
ward — let  fall — give  'way!"  were  all  familiar  orders; 
but  never  before  had  they  sounded  so  welcome.  As 
they  shoved  off,  the  coxswain  said  to  the  youngster, 
"That  looks  like  a  man-of-war's  gig,  sir";  but  he  paid 
no  attention  to  him.  We  pulled  leisurely  ashore,  watch 
ing  the  cruiser.  The  boat  went  up  to  the  davits  at 
a  run,  and  she  started  to  the  southward  again.  The 
general  was  very  much  relieved,  for  it  was  a  narrow 
escape. 
The  wind  still  holding  to  the  southward  and  east- 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL  BEECKINRIDGE 


313 


ward,  we  could  work  only  slowly  to  the  southward, 
against  wind  arid  current.  At  times  we  suffered  greatly 
for  want  of  water; 
our  usual  resource 
was  to  dig  for  it,  but 
often  it  was  so  brack 
ish  and  warm  that 
when  extreme  thirst 
forced  its  use  the  con 
sequences  were  vio 
lent  pains  and  retch 
ings.  One  morning 
we  saw  a  few  wig 
wams  ashore,  and 
pulled  in  at  once  and 
landed.  It  was  a 
party  of  Seminoles 
who  had  come  out  of 
the  everglades  like 
the  bears  to  gather 
eggs.  They  received 
us  kindly,  and  we 
devoured  ravenously 
the  remnants  of  their 
breakfast  of  fish  and 
kountee.  Only  the  old 
chief  spoke  a  little 
English.  Not  more 
than  two  or  three 
hundred  of  this  once 

powerful  and  warlike  tribe  remain  in  Florida;    they 
occupy  some   islands  in   this   endless   swamp  to  the 


314       ADVENTURES  AND  ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

southward  of  Lake  Okeechobee.  They  have  but 
little  intercourse  with  the  whites,  and  come  out  on 
the  coast  only  at  certain  seasons  to  fish.  We  were 
very  anxious  to  obtain  some  provisions  from  them, 
but  excepting  kountee  they  had  nothing  to  spare.  This 
is  an  esculent  resembling  arrowroot,  which  they  dig, 
pulverize,  and  use  as  flour.  Cooked  in  the  ashes,  it 
makes  a  palatable  but  tough  cake,  which  we  enjoyed 
after  our  long  abstinence  from  bread.  The  old  chief 
took  advantage  of  our  eagerness  for  supplies,  and  de 
termined  to  replenish  his  powder-horn.  Nothing  else 
would  do;  not  even  an  old  coat,  or  fish-hooks,  or  a 
cavalry  saber  would  tempt  him.  Powder  only  he  would 
have  for  their  long,  heavy  small-bore  rifles  with  flint 
locks,  such  as  Davy  Crockett  used.  "We  reluctantly 
divided  with  him  our  very  scant  supply  in  exchange  for 
some  of  their  flour.  We  parted  good  friends,  after 
smoking  the  pipe  of  peace. 

On  the  7th,  off  New  Eiver  Inlet,  we  discovered  a 
small  sail  standing  to  the  northward.  The  breeze  was 
very  light,  so  we  downed  our  sail,  got  out  our  oars,  and 
gave  chase.  The  stranger  stood  out  to  seaward,  and 
endeavored  to  escape;  but  slowly  we  overhauled  her, 
and  finally  a  shot  caused  her  mainsail  to  drop.  As  we 
pulled  alongside  I  saw  from  the  dress  of  the  crew  of 
three  that  they  were  man-of-war's  men,  and  divined 
that  they  were  deserters.  They  were  thoroughly  fright 
ened  at  first,  for  our  appearance  was  not  calculated  to 
impress  them  favorably.  To  our  questions  they  re 
turned  evasive  answers  or  were  silent,  and  finally  asked 
by  what  authority  we  had  overhauled  them.  We  told 
them  that  the  war  was  not  over  so  far  as  we  were  con- 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BEECKINEIDGE 


315 


cerned ;  that  they  were  our  prisoners,  and  their  boat 
our  prize;  that  they  were  both  deserters  and  pirates, 
the  punishment  of  which  was  death ;  but  that  under 
the  circumstances  we  would  not  surrender  them  to  the 


316       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

first  cruiser  we  met,  but  would  take  their  paroles  and  ex 
change  boats.  To  this  they  strenuously  objected.  They 
were  well  armed,  and  although  we  outnumbered  them 
five  to  three  (not  counting  Tom),  still,  if  they  could  get 
the  first  bead  on  us  the  chances  were  about  equal. 
They  were  desperate,  and  not  disposed  to  surrender 
their  boat  without  a  tussle.  The  general  and  I  stepped 
into  their  boat,  and  ordered  the  spokesman  and  leader 
to  go  forward.  He  hesitated  a  moment,  and  two  re 
volvers  looked  him  in  the  face.  Sullenly  he  obeyed 
our  orders.  The  general  said,  "Wilson,  disarm  that 
man."  The  colonel,  with  pistol  in  hand,  told  him  to  hold 
up  his  hands.  He  did  so  while  the  colonel  drew  from 
his  belt  a  navy  revolver  and  a  sheath-knife.  The  other 
two  made  no  further  show  of  resistance,  but  handed 
us  their  arms.  The  crew  disposed  of,  I  made  an  exami 
nation  of  our  capture.  Unfortunately,  her  supply  of 
provisions  was  very  small — only  some  "salt-horse" 
and  hardtack,  with  a  breaker  of  fresh  water,  and  we 
exchanged  part  of  them  for  some  of  our  kountee  and 
turtles'  eggs.  But  it  was  in  our  new  boat  that  we  were 
particularly  fortunate:  sloop-rigged,  not  much  longer 
than  our  gig,  but  with  more  beam  and  plenty  of  free 
board,  decked  over  to  the  mast,  and  well  found  in  sails 
and  rigging.  After  our  experience  in  a  boat  the  gun 
wale  of  which  was  not  more  than  eighteen  inches  out 
of  water,  we  felt  that  we  had  a  craft  able  to  cross  the 
Atlantic.  Our  prisoners,  submitting  to  the  inevitable, 
soon  made  themselves  at  home  in  their  new  boat,  be 
came  more  communicative,  and  wanted  some  informa 
tion  as  to  the  best  course  by  which  to  reach  Jacksonville 
or  Savannah.  We  were  glad  to  give  them  the  benefit 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEKAL   BKECKINEIDGE  317 

of  our  experience,  and  on  parting  handed  them  their 
knives  and  two  revolvers,  for  which  they  were  very 
thankful. 

Later  we  were  abreast  of  Green  Turtle  Key,  with 
wind  light  and  ahead;  still,  with  all  these  drawbacks, 
we  were  able  to  make  some  progress.  Our  new  craft 
worked  and  sailed  well,  after  a  little  addition  of  ballast. 
Before  leaving  the  coast,  we  found  it  would  be  neces 
sary  to  call  at  Fort  Dallas  or  some  other  point  for  sup 
plies.  It  was  running  a  great  risk,  for  we  did  not  know 
whom  we  should  find  there,  whether  friend  or  foe.  But 
without  at  least  four  or  five  days'  rations  of  some  kind, 
it  would  not  be  safe  to  attempt  the  passage  across  the 
Gulf  Stream.  However,  before  venturing  to  do  so,  we 
determined  to  try  to  replenish  our  larder  with  eggs. 
Landing  on  the  beach,  we  hunted  industriously  for 
some  hours,  literally  scratching  for  a  living;  but  the 
ground  had  evidently  been  most  effectually  gone  over 
before,  as  the  tracks  of  bears  proved.  A  few  onions, 
washed  from  some  passing  vessel,  were  eagerly  de 
voured.  We  scanned  the  washings  along  the  strand  in 
vain  for  anything  that  would  satisfy  hunger.  Nothing 
remained  but  to  make  the  venture  of  stopping  at  the 
fort.  This  fort,  like  many  others,  was  established  dur 
ing  the  Seminole  war,  and  at  its  close  was  abandoned. 
It  is  near  the  mouth  of  the  Miami  River,  a  small 
stream  which  serves  as  an  outlet  to  the  overflow  of  the 
everglades.  Its  banks  are  crowded  to  the  water's  edge 
with  tropical  verdure,  with  many  flowering  plants  and 
creepers,  all  the  colors  of  which  are  reflected  in  its 
clear  waters.  The  old  barracks  were  in  sight  as  we 
slowly  worked  our  way  against  the  current.  Located  in 


318       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

a  small  clearing,  with  cocoanut-trees  in  the  foreground, 
the  white  buildings  made,  with  a  backing  of  deep 
green,  a  very  pretty  picture.  We  approached  cau 
tiously,  not  knowing  with  what  reception  we  should 
meet.  As  we  neared  the  small  wharf,  we  found  wait 
ing  some  twenty  or  thirty  men,  of  all  colors,  from  the 
pale  Yankee  to  the  ebony  Congo,  all  armed:  a  more 
motley  and  villainous-looking  crew  never  trod  the 
deck  of  one  of  Captain  Kidd's  ships.  We  saw  at  once 
with  whom  we  had  to  deal — deserters  from  the  army 
and  navy  of  both  sides,  with  a  mixture  of  Spaniards 
and  Cubans,  outlaws  and  renegades.  A  burly  villain, 
towering  head  and  shoulders  above  his  companions, 
and  whose  shaggy  black  head  scorned  any  covering, 
hailed  us  in  broken  English,  and  asked  who  we  were. 
Wreckers,  I  replied;  that  we  left  our  vessel  outside, 
and  had  come  in  for  water  and  provisions.  He  asked 
where  we  had  left  our  vessel,  and  her  name,  evidently 
suspicious,  which  was  not  surprising,  for  our  appear 
ance  was  certainly  against  us.  Our  head-gear  was 
unique:  the  general  wore  a  straw  hat  that  flapped  over 
his  head  like  the  ears  of  an  elephant ;  Colonel  Wilson, 
an  old  cavalry  cap  that  had  lost  its  visor ;  another,  a 
turban  made  of  some  number  4  duck  canvas ;  and  all 
were  in  our  shirt-sleeves,  the  colors  of  which  were  as 
varied  as  Joseph's  coat.  I  told  him  we  had  left  her  to 
the  northward  a  few  miles,  that  a  gunboat  had  spoken 
us  a  few  hours  before,  and  had  overhauled  our  pa 
pers,  and  had  found  them  all  right.  After  a  noisy 
powwow  we  were  told  to  land,  that  our  papers  might 
be  examined.  I  said  no,  but  if  a  canoe  were  sent  off, 
I  would  let  one  of  our  men  go  on  shore  and  buy  what 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL  BEECKINEIDGE  319 

we  wanted.  I  was  determined  not  to  trust  our  boat 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  shore.  Finally  a  canoe 
paddled  by  two  negroes  came  off,  and  said  no  one  but 
the  captain  would  be  permitted  to  land.  O'Toole  vol 
unteered  to  go,  but  the  boatmen  would  not  take  him, 
evidently  having  had  their  orders.  I  told  them  to  tell 
their  chief  that  we  had  intended  to  spend  a  few  pieces 
of  gold  with  them,  but  since  he  would  not  permit  it, 
we  would  go  elsewhere  for  supplies.  "We  got  out  our 
sweeps,  and  moved  slowly  down  the  river,  a  light 
breeze  helping  us.  The  canoe  returned  to  the  shore, 
and  soon  some  fifteen  or  twenty  men  crowded  into 
four  or  five  canoes  and  dugouts,  and  started  for  us. 
We  prepared  for  action,  determined  to  give  them  a 
warm  reception.  Even  Tom  looked  after  his  carbine, 
putting  on  a  fresh  cap. 

Though  outnumbered  three  to  one,  still  we  were  well 
under  cover  in  our  boat,  and  could  rake  each  canoe  as 
it  came  up.  We  determined  to  take  all  the  chances, 
and  to  open  fire  as  soon  as  they  came  within  range.  I 
told  Eussell  to  try  a  shot  at  one  some  distance  ahead 
of  the  others.  He  broke  two  paddles  on  one  side  and 
hit  one  man,  not  a  bad  beginning.  This  canoe  dropped 
to  the  rear  at  once ;  the  occupants  of  the  others  opened 
fire,  but  their  shooting  was  wild  from  the  motions  of 
their  small  craft.  The  general  tried  and  missed;  Tom 
thought  he  could  do  better  than  his  master,  and  made 
a  good  line  shot,  but  short.  The  general  advised  hus 
banding  our  ammunition  until  they  came  within  easy 
range.  Waiting  a  little  while,  Eussell  and  the  colonel 
fired  together,  and  the  bowman  in  the  nearest  canoe 
rolled  over,  nearly  upsetting  her.  They  were  now  evi- 


320        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

dently  convinced  that  we  were  in  earnest,  and,  after 
giving  us  an  ineffectual  volley,  paddled  together  to 
hold  a  council  of  war.     Soon  a  single  canoe  with  three 
men  started  for  us  with  a  white  flag.    We  hove  to,  and 
waited  for  them  to  approach.     When  within  hail,  I 
asked  what  was  wanted.    A  white  man,  standing  in 
the  stern,  with  two  negroes  paddling,  replied : 
"  What  did  you  fire  on  us  for  ?     We  are  friends." 
"  Friends  do  not  give  chase  to  friends." 
"We  wanted  to  find  out  who  you  are." 
"  I  told  you  who  we  are ;  and  if  you  are  friends,  sell 
us  some  provisions." 

"  Come  on  shore,  and  you  can  get  what  you  want." 
Our  wants  were  urgent,  and  it  was  necessary,  if  pos 
sible,  to  make  some  terms  with  them ;  but  it  would  not 
be  safe  to  venture  near  their  lair  again.  We  told  them 
that  if  they  would  bring  us  some  supplies  we  would 
wait,  and  pay  them  well  in  gold.  The  promise  of  gold 
served  as  a  bait  to  secure  some  concession.  After  some 
parleying  it  was  agreed  that  O'Toole  should  go  on  shore 
in  their  canoe,  be  allowed  to  purchase  some  provisions, 
and  return  in  two  hours.  The  bucaneer  thought  the 
time  too  short,  but  I  insisted  that  if  O'Toole  were  not 
brought  back  in  two  hours,  I  would  speak  the  first  gun 
boat  I  met,  and  return  with  her  and  have  their  nest  of 
freebooters  broken  up.  Time  was  important,  for  we 
had  noticed  soon  after  we  had  started  down  the  river 
a  black  column  of  smoke  ascending  from  near  the  fort, 
undoubtedly  a  signal  to  some  of  their  craft  in  the 
vicinity  to  return,  for  I  felt  convinced  that  they  had 
other  craft  besides  canoes  at  their  disposal ;  hence  their 
anxiety  to  detain  us.  O'Toole  was  told  to  be  as  dumb 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEKAL   BEECKINEIDGE  321 

as  an  oyster  as  to  ourselves,  but  wide  awake  as  to  the 
designs  of  our  dubious  friends.  The  general  gave  him 
five  eagles  for  his  purchase,  tribute-money.  He  jumped 
into  the  canoe,  and  all  returned  to  the  fort.  We  dropped 
anchor  underfoot  to  await  his  return,  keeping  a  sharp 
lookout  for  any  strange  sail.  The  two  hours  passed  in 
pleasant  surmises  as  to  what  he  would  bring  off; 
another  half-hour  passed,  and  no  sign  of  his  return; 
and  we  began  to  despair  of  our  anticipated  feast,  and 
of  O'Toole,  a  bright  young  Irishman,  whose  good  quali 
ties  had  endeared  him  to  us  all.  The  anchor  was  up, 
and  slowly  with  a  light  breeze  we  drew  away  from  the 
river,  debating  what  should  be  our  next  move.  The 
fort  was  shut  in  by  a  projecting  point,  and  three  or 
four  miles  had  passed  when  the  welcome  sight  of  a 
canoe  astern  made  us  heave  to.  It  was  O'Toole  with 
two  negroes,  a  bag  of  hard  bread,  two  hams,  some  rusty 
salt  pork,  sweet  potatoes,  fruit,  and,  most  important 
of  all,  two  breakers  of  water  and  a  keg  of  New  England 
rum.  While  O'Toole  gave  us  his  experience,  a  ham 
was  cut,  and  a  slice  between  two  of  hardtack,  washed 
down  with  a  jorum  of  rum  and  water,  with  a  dessert  of 
oranges  and  bananas,  was  a  feast  to  us  more  enjoyable 
than  any  ever  eaten  at  Delmonico's  or  the  Cafe  Eiche. 
On  his  arrival  on  shore,  our  ambassador  had  been  taken 
to  the  quarters  of  Major  Valdez,  who  claimed  to  be  an 
officer  of  the  Federals,  and  by  him  he  was  thoroughly 
cross-examined.  He  had  heard  of  the  breaking  up  of 
the  Confederacy,  but  not  of  the  capture  of  Mr.  Davis, 
and  was  evidently  skeptical  of  our  story  as  to  being 
wreckers,  and  connected  us  in  some  way  with  the 
losing  party,  either  as  persons  of  note  or  a  party  es- 


322        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

caping  with  treasure.  However,  O'Toole  baffled  all  his 
queries,  and  was  proof  against  both  blandishments  and 
threats.  He  learned  what  he  had  expected,  that  they 
were  looking  for  the  return  of  a  schooner;  hence  the 
smoke  signal,  and  the  anxiety  to  detain  us  as  long  as 
possible.  It  was  only  when  he  saw  us  leaving,  after 
waiting  over  two  hours,  that  the  major  permitted  him 
to  make  a  few  purchases  and  rejoin  us. 

Night,  coming  on,  found  us  inside  of  Key  Biscayne, 
the  beginning  of  the  system  of  innumerable  keys,  or 
small  islands,  extending  from  this  point  to  the  Tortu- 
gas,  nearly  two  hundred  miles  east  and  west,  at  the  ex 
tremity  of  the  peninsula.  Of  coral  formation,  as  soon 
as  it  is  built  up  to  the  surface  of  the  water  it  crumbles 
under  the  action  of  the  sea  and  sun.  Sea-fowl  rest 
upon  it,  dropping  the  seed  of  some  marine  plants,  or 
the  hard  mangrove  is  washed  ashore  on  it,  and  its  all- 
embracing  roots  soon  spread  in  every  direction ;  so  are 
formed  these  keys.  Darkness  and  shoal  water  warned 
us  to  anchor.  We  passed  an  unhappy  night  fighting 
mosquitos.  As  the  sun  rose,  we  saw  to  the  eastward  a 
schooner  of  thirty  or  forty  tons  standing  down  toward 
us  with  a  light  wind ;  no  doubt  it  was  one  from  the  fort 
sent  in  pursuit.  Up  anchor,  up  sail,  out  sweeps,  and 
we  headed  down  Biscayne  Bay,  a  shoal  sheet  of  water 
between  the  reefs  and  mainland.  The  wind  rose  with 
the  sun,  and,  being  to  windward,  the  schooner  had  the 
benefit  of  it  first,  and  was  fast  overhauling  us.  The 
water  was  shoaling,  which  I  was  not  sorry  to  see,  for 
our  draft  must  have  been  from  two  to  three  feet  less 
than  that  of  our  pursuer,  and  we  recognized  that  our 
best  chance  of  escape  was  by  drawing  him  into  shoal 


ESCAPE  OF   GENEKAL  BEECKINRIDGE  323 

water,  while  keeping  afloat  ourselves.  By  the  color 
and  break  of  the  water  I  saw  that  we  were  approaching 
a  part  of  the  bay  where  the  shoals  appeared  to  extend 
nearly  across,  with  narrow  channels  between  them  like 
the  furrows  in  a  plowed  field,  with  occasional  openings 
from  one  channel  into  another.  Some  of  the  shoals 
were  just  awash,  others  bare.  Ahead  was  a  reef  on 
which  there  appeared  but  very  little  water.  I  could 
see  no  opening  into  the  channel  beyond.  To  attempt 
to  haul  by  the  wind  on  either  tack  would  bring  us  in  a 
few  minutes  under  fire  of  the  schooner  now  coming  up 
hand  over  hand.  I  ordered  the  ballast  to  be  thrown 
overboard,  and  determined,  as  our  only  chance,  to  at 
tempt  to  force  her  over  the  reef.  She  was  headed  for 
what  looked  like  a  little  breakwater  on  our  port  bow. 
As  the  ballast  went  overboard  we  watched  the  bottom 
anxiously;  the  water  shoaled  rapidly,  and  the  grating  of 
the  keel  over  the  coral,  with  that  peculiar  tremor  most 
unpleasant  to  a  seaman  under  any  circumstances,  told 
us  our  danger.  As  the  last  of  the  ballast  went  over 
board  she  forged  ahead,  and  then  brought  up.  Together 
we  went  overboard,  and  sank  to  our  waists  in  the  black, 
pasty  mud,  through  which  at  intervals  branches  of  rot 
ten  coral  projected,  which  only  served  to  make  the 
bottom  more  treacherous  and  difficult  to  work  on.  Re 
lieved  of  a  half-ton  of  our  weight,  our  sloop  forged 
ahead  three  or  four  lengths,  and  then  brought  up  again. 
We  pushed  her  forward  some  distance,  but  as  the  water 
lessened,  notwithstanding  our  efforts,  she  stopped. 

Looking  astern,  we  saw  the  schooner  coming  up 
wing  and  wing,  not  more  than  a  mile  distant.  Cer 
tainly  the  prospect  was  blue ;  but  one  chance  was  left, 


324        ADVENTUKES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR 

to  sacrifice  everything  in  the  boat.  Without  hesi 
tation,  overboard  went  the  provisions  except  a  few 
biscuits;  the  oars  were  made  fast  to  the  main-sheet 
alongside,  and  a  breaker  of  water,  the  anchor  and 
chain,  all  spare  rope,  indeed  everything  that  weighed 
a  pound,  was  dropped  alongside,  and  then,  three  on 
each  side,  our  shoulders  under  the  boat's  bilges,  at  the 
word  we  lifted  together,  and  foot  by  foot  moved  her 
forward.  Sometimes  the  water  would  deepen  a  little 
and  relieve  us ;  again  it  would  shoal.  Between  the 
coral-branches  we  would  sink  at  times  to  our  necks  in 
the  slime  and  water,  our  limbs  lacerated  with  the  sharp 
projecting  points.  Fortunately,  the  wind  helped  us; 
keeping  all  sail  on,  thus  for  more  than  a  hundred  yards 
we  toiled,  until  the  water  deepened  and  the  reef  was 
passed.  Wet,  foul,  bleeding,  with  hardly  strength 
enough  to  climb  into  the  boat,  we  were  safe  at  last  for 
a  time.  As  we  cleared  the  shoal,  the  schooner  hauled 
by  the  wind,  and  opened  fire  from  a  nine-  or  twelve- 
pounder;  but  we  were  at  long  range,  and  the  firing 
was  wild.  With  a  fair  wind  we  soon  opened  the  dis 
tance  between  us. 

General  Breckinridge,  thoroughly  used  up,  threw 
himself  down  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat ;  at  which 
Tom,  always  on  the  lookout  for  his  master's  comfort, 
said,  "Marse  John,  s'pose  you  take  a  little  rum  and 
water."  This  proposal  stirred  us  all.  The  general 
rose,  saying,  "  Yes,  indeed,  Tom,  I  will ;  but  where  is 
the  rum?"  supposing  it  had  been  sacrificed  with 
everything  else. 

"I  sees  you  pitchin'  eberyt'ing  away;  I  jes  put  this 
jug  in  hyar,  'ca'se  I  'lowed  you  'd  want  some." 


ESCAPE    OF   GENERAL   BBECKINRIDGE 


325 


Opening  a  locker  in  the  transom,  he  took  out  the 
jug.    Never  was  a  potion  more  grateful;  we  were  faint 


and  thirsty,  and  it  acted  like  a  charm,  and,  bringing 
up  on  another  reef,  we  were  ready  for  another  tussle. 


326       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

Fortunately,  this  proved  only  a  short  lift.  In  the 
mean  time  the  schooner  had  passed  through  the  first 
reef  by  an  opening,  as  her  skipper  was  undoubtedly 
familiar  with  these  waters.  Still  another  shoal  was 
ahead;  instead  of  again  lifting  our  sloop  over  it,  I 
hauled  by  the  wind,  and  stood  for  what  looked  like  an 
opening  to  the  eastward.  Our  pursuers  were  on  the 
opposite  tack  and  fast  approaching ;  a  reef  intervened, 
and  when  abeam,  distant  about  half  a  mile,  they 
opened  fire  both  with  their  small  arms  and  boat-gun. 
The  second  shot  from  the  latter  was  well  directed ;  it 
grazed  our  mast  and  carried  away  the  luff  of  the  main 
sail.  Several  Minie  balls  struck  on  our  sides  without 
penetrating;  we  did  not  reply,  and  kept  under  cover. 
When  abreast  of  a  break  in  the  reef,  we  up  helm,  and 
again  went  off  before  the  wind.  The  schooner  was 
now  satisfied  that  she  could  not  overhaul  us,  and  stood 
off  to  the  northward. 

Free  from  our  enemy,  we  were  now  able  to  take 
stock  of  our  supplies  and  determine  what  to  do.  Our 
provisions  consisted  of  about  ten  pounds  of  hard 
bread,  a  twenty-gallon  breaker  of  water,  two  thirds 
full,  and  three  gallons  of  rum.  Really  a  fatality  ap 
peared  to  follow  us  as  regards  our  commissariat.  Be 
ginning  with  our  first  drenching  on  the  St.  John's, 
every  successive  supply  had  been  lost,  and  now  what 
we  had  bought  with  so  much  trouble  yesterday,  the 
sellers  compelled  us  to  sacrifice  to-day.  But  our  first 
care  was  to  ballast  the  sloop,  for  without  it  she  was  so 
crank  as  to  be  unseaworthy.  This  was  not  an  easy 
task ;  the  shore  of  all  the  keys,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
mainland  in  sight,  was  low  and  swampy,  and  covered 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BEECKINRIDGE  327 

to  the  water's  edge  with  a  dense  growth  of  mangroves. 
What  made  matters  worse,  we  were  without  any 
ground-tackle. 

At  night  we  were  up  to  Elliott's  Key,  and  anchored  by 
making  fast  to  a  sweep  shoved  into  the  muddy  bottom 
like  a  shad-pole.  When  the  wind  went  down,  the  mos- 
quitos  came  off  in  clouds.  We  wrapped  ourselves  in 
the  sails  from  head  to  feet,  with  only  our  nostrils  ex 
posed.  At  daylight  we  started  again  to  the  westward, 
looking  for  a  dry  spot  where  we  might  land,  get  ballast, 
and  possibly  some  supplies.  A  few  palm-trees  rising 
from  the  mangroves  indicated  a  spot  where  we  might 
find  a  little  terra  firma.  Groing  in  as  near  as  was  pru 
dent,  we  waded  ashore,  and  found  a  small  patch  of 
sand  and  coral  elevated  a  few  feet  above  the  everlast 
ing  swamp.  Some  six  or  eight  cocoa-palms  rose  to  the 
height  of  forty  or  fifty  feet,  and  under  their  umbrella- 
like  tops  we  could  see  the  bunches  of  green  fruit.  It 
was  a  question  how  to  get  at  it.  Without  saying 
a  word,  Tom  went  on  board  the  boat,  brought  off  a 
piece  of  canvas,  cut  a  strip  a  yard  long,  tied  the  ends 
together,  and  made  two  holes  for  his  big  toes.  The 
canvas,  stretched  between  his  feet,  embraced  the  rough 
bark  so  that  he  rapidly  ascended.  He  threw  down  the 
green  nuts,  and  cutting  through  the  thick  shell,  we 
found  about  half  a  pint  of  milk.  The  general  suggested 
a  little  milk-punch.  All  the  trees  were  stripped,  and 
what  we  did  not  use  we  saved  for  sea-stores. 

To  ballast  our  sloop  was  our  next  care.  The  jib  was 
unbent,  the  sheet  and  head  were  brought  together  and 
made  into  a  sack.  This  was  filled  with  sand,  and,  slung 
on  an  oar,  was  shouldered  by  two  and  carried  on  board. 


328        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN    THE   CIVIL  WAR 

Leaving  us  so  engaged,  the  general  started  to  try  to 
knock  over  some  of  the  numerous  water-fowl  in  sight. 
He  returned  in  an  hour  thoroughly  used  up  from  his 
struggles  in  the  swamp,  but  with  two  pelicans  and  a 
white  crane.  In  the  stomach  of  one  of  the  first  were  a 
dozen  or  more  mullet,  from  six  to  nine  inches  in  length, 
which  had  evidently  just  been  swallowed.  We  cleaned 
them,  and  wrapping  them  in  palmetto-leaves,  roasted 
them  in  the  ashes,  and  they  proved  delicious.  Tom 
took  the  birds  in  hand,  and  as  he  was  an  old  cam 
paigner,  who  had  cooked  everything  from  a  stalled  ox 
to  a  crow,  we  had  faith  in  his  ability  to  make  them 
palatable.  He  tried  to  pick  them,  but  soon  abandoned 
it,  and  skinned  them.  We  looked  on  anxiously,  ready 
after  our  first  course  of  fish  for  something  more  sub 
stantial.  He  broiled  them,  and  with  a  flourish  laid  one 
before  the  general  on  a  clean  leaf,  saying,  "  I 's  'feared, 
Marse  John,  it 's  tough  as  an  old  muscovy  drake." 

"  Let  me  try  it,  Tom." 

After  some  exertion  he  cut  off  a  mouthful,  while  we 
anxiously  awaited  the  verdict.  Without  a  word  he 
rose  and  disappeared  into  the  bushes.  Returning  in  a 
few  minutes,  he  told  Tom  to  remove  the  game.  His 
tone  and  expression  satisfied  us  that  pelican  would  not 
keep  us  from  starving.  The  colonel  thought  the  crane 
might  be  better,  but  a  taste  satisfied  us  that  it  was  no 
improvement. 

Hungry  and  tired,  it  was  nearly  night  before  we 
were  ready  to  move ;  and,  warned  by  our  sanguinary 
experience  of  the  previous  night,  we  determined  to 
haul  off  from  the  shore  as  far  as  possible,  and  get  out 
side  the  range  of  the  mosquitos.  It  was  now  neces- 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BEECKINEIDGE  329 

sary  to  determine  upon  our  future  course.  We  had 
abandoned  all  hope  of  reaching  the  Bahamas,  and  the 
nearest  foreign  shore  was  that  of  Cuba,  distant  across 
the  Grulf  Stream  from  our  present  position  about  two 
hundred  miles,  or  three  or  four  days'  sail,  with  the 
winds  we  might  expect  at  this  season.  With  the  strict 
est  economy  our  provisions  would  not  last  so  long. 
However,  nearly  a  month  in  the  swamps  and  among 
the  keys  of  Florida,  in  the  month  of  June,  had  pre 
pared  us  to  face  almost  any  risk  to  escape  from  those 
shores,  and  it  was  determined  to  start  in  the  morning 
for  Cuba.  Well  out  in  the  bay  we  hove  to,  and  passed 
a  fairly  comfortable  night;  next  day  early  we  started 
for  Caesar's  Canal,  a  passage  between  Elliott's  Key  and 
Key  Largo.  The  channel  was  crooked  and  puzzling, 
leading  through  a  labyrinth  of  mangrove  islets,  around 
which  the  current  of  the  Q-ulf  Stream  was  running  like 
a  sluice ;  we  repeatedly  got  aground,  when  we  would 
jump  overboard  and  push  off.  So  we  worked  all  day 
before  we  were  clear  of  the  keys  and  outside  among  the 
reefs,  which  extend  three  or  four  miles  beyond.  Wait 
ing  again  for  daylight,  we  threaded  our  way  through 
them,  and  with  a  light  breeze  from  the  eastward  steered 
south,  thankful  to  feel  again  the  pulsating  motion  of 
the  ocean. 

Several  sail  and  one  steamer  were  in  sight  during 
the  day,  but  all  at  a  distance.  Constant  exposure  had 
tanned  us  the  color  of  mahogany,  and  our  legs  and  feet 
were  swollen  and  blistered  from  being  so  much  in  the 
salt  water,  and  the  action  of  the  hot  sun  on  them  made 
them  excessively  painful.  Fortunately,  but  little  exer 
tion  was  now  necessary,  and  our  only  relief  was  in 


330       ADVENTUKES  AND  ESCAPES  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAB 

lying  still,  with  an  impromptu  awning  over  us.  General 
Breckinridge  took  charge  of  the  water  and  rum,  doling 
it  out  at  regular  intervals,  a  tot  at  a  time,  determined 
to  make  it  last  as  long  as  possible. 

Toward  evening  the  wind  was  hardly  strong  enough 
to  enable  us  to  hold  our  own  against  the  stream.  At 
ten,  Carysfort  Light  was  abeam,  and  soon  after  a  dark 
bank  of  clouds  rising  in  the  eastern  sky  betokened  a 
change  of  wind  and  weather.  Everything  was  made 
snug  and  lashed  securely,  with  two  reefs  in  the  main 
sail,  and  the  bonnet  taken  off  the  jib.  I  knew  from  ex 
perience  what  we  might  expect  from  summer  squalls  in 
the  straits  of  Florida.  I  took  the  helm,  the  general  the 
sheet,  Colonel  Wilson  was  stationed  by  the  halyards, 
Russell  and  O'Toole  were  prepared  to  bail.  Tom,  thor 
oughly  demoralized,  was  already  sitting  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boat,  between  the  general's  knees.  The  sky  was 
soon  completely  overcast  with  dark  lowering  clouds; 
the  darkness,  which  could  almost  be  felt,  was  broken 
every  few  minutes  by  lurid  streaks  of  lightning  chasing 
one  another  through  black  abysses.  Fitful  gusts  of 
wind  were  the  heralds  of  the  coming  blast.  Great  drops 
of  rain  fell  like  the  scattering  fire  of  a  skirmish-line, 
and  with  a  roar  like  a  thousand  trumpets  we  heard  the 
blast  coming,  giving  us  time  only  to  lower  everything 
and  get  the  stern  of  the  boat  to  it,  for  our  only  chance 
was  to  run  with  the  storm  until  the  rough  edge  was 
taken  off,  and  then  heave  to.  I  cried,  "All  hands 
down  ! "  as  the  gale  struck  us  with  the  force  of  a  thun 
derbolt,  carrying  a  wall  of  white  water  with  it  which 
burst  over  us  like  a  cataract.  I  thought  we  were 
swamped  as  I  clung  desperately  to  the  tiller,  though 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEKAL   BKECKINKIDGE 


331 


thrown  violently  against  the  boom.     But  after  the 
shock,  our  brave  little  boat,  though  half  filled,  rose  and 


shook  herself  like  a  spaniel.     The  mast  bent  like  a 
whip-stick,  and  I  expected  to  see  it  blown  out  of  her, 


332       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

but,  gathering  way,  we  flew  with  the  wind.  The  sur 
face  was  lashed  into  foam  as  white  as  the  driven  snow. 
The  lightning  and  artillery  of  the  heavens  were  inces 
sant,  blinding,  and  deafening ;  involuntarily  we  bowed 
our  heads,  utterly  helpless.  Soon  the  heavens  were 
opened,  and  the  floods  came  down  like  a  waterspout.  I 
knew  then  that  the  worst  of  it  had  passed,  and  though 
one  fierce  squall  succeeded  another,  each  one  was  tamer. 
The  deluge,  too,  helped  to  beat  down  the  sea.  To  give 
an  order  was  impossible,  for  I  could  not  be  heard ;  I 
could  only,  during  the  flashes,  make  signs  to  Eussell 
and  O'Toole  to  bail.  Tying  themselves  and  their  buckets 
to  the  thwarts,  they  went  to  work  and  soon  relieved  her 
of  a  heavy  load. 

From  the  general  direction  of  the  wind  I  knew  with 
out  compass  or  any  other  guide  that  we  were  running 
to  the  westward,  and,  I  feared,  were  gradually  approach 
ing  the  dreaded  reefs,  where  in  such  a  sea  our  boat 
would  have  been  reduced  to  match-wood  in  a  little 
while.  Therefore,  without  waiting  for  the  wind  or  sea 
to  moderate,  I  determined  to  heave  to,  hazardous  as 
it  was  to  attempt  anything  of  the  kind.  Giving  the 
colonel  the  helm,  I  lashed  the  end  of  the  gaff  to  the 
boom,  and  then  loosed  enough  of  the  mainsail  to  goose- 
wing  it,  or  make  a  leg-of-mutton  sail  of  it.  Then  watch 
ing  for  a  lull  or  a  smooth  time,  I  told  him  to  put  the 
helm  a-starboard  and  let  her  come  to  on  the  port  tack, 
head  to  the  southward,  and  at  the  same  time  I  hoisted 
the  sail.  She  came  by  the  wind  quickly  without  ship 
ping  a  drop  of  water,  but  as  I  was  securing  the  hal 
yards  the  colonel  gave  her  too  much  helm,  bringing 
the  wind  on  the  other  bow,  the  boom  flew  round  and 


ESCAPE   OF   GENEEAL   BEECKINEIDGE  333 

knocked  my  feet  from  under  me,  and  overboard  I  went. 
Fortunately,  her  way  was  deadened,  and  as  I  came  up 
I  seized  the  sheet,  and  with  the  general's  assistance 
scrambled  on  board.  For  twelve  hours  or  more  I  did 
not  trust  the  helm  to  any  one.  The  storm  passed  over 
to  the  westward  with  many  a  departing  growl  and 
threat.  But  the  wind  still  blew  hoarsely  from  the  east 
ward  with  frequent  gusts  against  the  stream,  making  a 
heavy,  sharp  sea.  In  the  trough  of  it  the  boat  was  be 
calmed,  but  as  she  rose  on  the  crest  of  the  waves  even 
the  little  sail  set  was  as  much  as  she  could  stand  up 
under,  and  she  had  to  be  nursed  carefully ;  for  if  she 
had  fallen  off,  one  breaker  would  have  swamped  us,  or 
any  accident  to  sail  or  spar  would  have  been  fatal :  but 
like  a  gull  on  the  waters,  our  brave  little  craft  rose  and 
breasted  every  billow. 

By  noon  the  next  day  the  weather  had  moderated 
sufficiently  to  make  more  sail,  and  the  sea  went  down 
at  the  same  time.  Then,  hungry  and  thirsty,  Tom  was 
thought  of.  During  the  gale  he  had  remained  in  the 
bottom  of  the  boat  as  motionless  as  a  log.  As  he  was 
roused  up,  he  asked : 

"  Marse  John,  whar  is  you,  and  whar  is  you  goin'? 
'Fore  de  Lord,  I  never  want  to  see  a  boat  again." 

"  Come,  Tom,  get  us  something  to  drink,  and  see  if 
there  is  anything  left  to  eat,"  said  the  general.  But 
Tom  was  helpless. 

The  general  served  out  a  small  ration  of  water  and 
rum,  every  drop  of  which  was  precious.  Our  small 
store  of  bread  was  found  soaked,  but,  laid  in  the  sun, 
it  partly  dried,  and  was,  if  not  palatable,  at  least  a 
relief  to  hungry  men. 


334       ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL    WAR 

During  the  next  few  days  the  weather  was  moderate, 
and  we  stood  to  the  southward ;  several  sail  were  in 
sight,  but  at  a  distance.  We  were  anxious  to  speak 
one  even  at  some  risk,  for  our  supplies  were  down  to  a 
pint  of  rum  in  water  each  day  under  a  tropical  sun, 
with  two  water-soaked  biscuits.  On  the  afternoon  of 
the  second  day  a  brig  drifted  slowly  down  toward  us; 
we  made  signals  that  we  wished  to  speak  her,  and,  get 
ting  out  our  sweeps,  pulled  for  her.  As  we  neared  her, 
the  captain  hailed  and  ordered  us  to  keep  off.  I  replied 
that  we  were  shipwrecked  men,  and  only  wanted  some 
provisions.  As  we  rounded  to  under  his  stern,  we 
could  see  that  he  had  all  his  crew  of  seven  or  eight 
men  at  quarters.  He  stood  on  the  taff-rail  with  a  re 
volver  in  hand,  his  two  mates  with  muskets,  the  cook 
with  a  huge  tormentor,  and  the  crew  with  handspikes. 

"  I  tell  you  again,  keep  off,  or  I  '11  let  fly." 

"  Captain,  we  won't  go  on  board  if  you  will  give  us 
some  provisions;  we  are  starving." 

"  Keep  off,  I  tell  you.     Boys,  make  ready." 

One  of  the  mates  drew  a  bead  on  me ;  our  eyes  met 
in  a  line  over  the  sights  on  the  barrel.  I  held  up  my 
right  hand. 

"  Will  you  fire  on  an  unarmed  man  1  Captain,  you 
are  no  sailor,  or  you  would  not  refuse  to  help  ship 
wrecked  men." 

"How  do  I  know  who  you  are  ?  And  I  've  got  no 
grub  to  spare." 

"  Here  is  a  passenger  who  is  able  to  pay  you,"  said  I, 
pointing  to  the  general. 

"  Yes ;  I  will  pay  for  anything  you  let  us  have." 

The  captain  now  held  a  consultation  with  his  offi- 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BKECKINEIDGE  335 

cers,  and  then  said :  "  I  '11  give  you  some  water  and 
bread.  I  've  got  nothing  else.  But  you  must  not 
come  alongside." 

A  small  keg,  or  breaker,  was  thrown  overboard  and 
picked  up,  with  a  bag  of  fifteen  or  twenty  pounds  of 
hardtack.  This  was  the  reception  given  us  by  the 
brig  Neptime  of  Bangor.  But  when  the  time  and  place 
are  considered,  we  cannot  wonder  at  the  captain's  pre 
cautions,  for  a  more  piratical-looking  party  than  we 
never  sailed  the  Spanish  main.  General  Breckinridge, 
bronzed  the  color  of  mahogany,  unshaven,  with  long 
mustache,  wearing  a  blue  flannel  shirt  open  at  the 
neck,  exposing  his  broad  chest,  with  an  old  slouch  hat, 
was  a  typical  bucaneer.  Thankful  for  what  we  had 
received,  we  parted  company.  Doubtless  the  captain 
reported  on  his  arrival  home  a  blood-curdling  story  of 
his  encounter  with  pirates  off  the  coast  of  Cuba. 

"  Marse  John,  I  thought  the  war  was  done.  Why 
did  n't  you  tell  dem  folks  who  you  was  ?"  queried  Tom. 
The  general  told  Tom  they  were  Yankees,  and  would 
not  believe  us.  "  Is  dar  any  Yankees  whar  you  goin'  1 
— 'ca'se  if  dar  is,  we  best  go  back  to  old  Kentucky." 
He  was  made  easy  on  this  point,  and,  with  an  increase 
in  our  larder,  became  quite  perky.  A  change  in  the 
color  of  the  water  showed  us  that  we  were  on  sound 
ings,  and  had  crossed  the  Stream,  and  soon  after  we 
came  in  sight  of  some  rocky  islets,  which  I  recognized 
as  Double-Headed  Shot  Keys,  thus  fixing  our  position; 
for  our  chart,  with  the  rest  of  our  belongings,  had  dis 
appeared,  or  had  been  destroyed  by  water,  and  as  the 
heavens,  by  day  and  night,  were  our  only  guide,  our 
navigation  was  necessarily  very  uncertain.  For  the 


336        ADVENTURES   AND   ESCAPES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAE 

next  thirty  miles  our  course  to  the  southward  took  us 
over  Salt  Key  Bank,  where  the  soundings  varied  from 
three  to  five  fathoms,  but  so  clear  was  the  water  that 
it  was  hard  to  believe  that  the  coral,  the  shells,  and  the 
marine  flowers  were  not  within  arm's  reach.  Fishes  of 
all  sizes  and  colors  darted  by  us  in  every  direction. 
The  bottom  of  the  bank  was  a  constantly  varying  ka 
leidoscope  of  beauty.  But  to  starving  men,  with  not  a 
mouthful  in  our  grasp,  this  display  of  food  was  tanta 
lizing.  Russell,  who  was  an  expert  swimmer,  volun 
teered  to  dive  for  some  conchs  and  shell-fish;  oysters 
there  were  none.  Asking  us  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  on 
the  surface  of  the  water  for  sharks,  which  generally 
swim  with  the  dorsal  fin  exposed,  he  went  down  and 
brought  up  a  couple  of  live  conchs  about  the  size  of 
a  man's  fist.  Breaking  the  shell,  we  drew  the  quiver 
ing  body  out.  Without  its  coat  it  looked  like  a  huge 
grub,  and  not  more  inviting.  The  general  asked  Tom 
to  try  it. 

"  Glory,  Marse  John,  I  'm  mighty  hungry,  nebber  so 
hungry  sense  we  been  in  de  almy,  and  I  'm  just  ready 
for  ole  mule,  pole-cat,  or  anything  'cept  dis  worm." 

After  repeated  efforts  to  dissect  it  we  agreed  with 
Tom,  and  found  it  not  more  edible  than  a  pickled  foot 
ball.  However,  Russell,  diving  again,  brought  up  bi 
valves  with  a  very  thin  shell  and  beautiful  colors,  in 
shape  like  a  large  pea-pod.  These  we  found  tolerable; 
they  served  to  satisfy  in  some  small  degree  our  craving 
for  food.  The  only  drawback  was  that  eating  them 
produced  great  thirst,  which  is  much  more  difficult  to 
bear  than  hunger.  We  found  partial  relief  in  keeping 
our  heads  and  bodies  wet  with  salt  water. 


ESCAPE   OF   GENERAL   BEECKINEIDGE  337 

On  the  sixth  day  from  the  Florida  coast  we  crossed 
Nicholas  Channel  with  fair  wind.  Soon  after  we  made 
the  Cuban  coast,  and  stood  to  the  westward,  hoping  to 
sight  something  which  would  determine  our  position. 
After  a  run  of  some  hours  just  outside  of  the  coral- 
reefs,  we  sighted  in  the  distance  some  vessels  at  an 
chor.  As  we  approached,  a  large  town  was  visible  at 
the  head  of  the  bay,  which  proved  to  be  Cardenas.  We 
offered  prayful  thanks  for  our  wonderful  escape,  and 
anchored  just  off  the  custom-house,  and  waited  some 
time  for  the  health  officer  to  give  us  pratique.  But  as  no 
one  came  off  in  answer  to  our  signals,  I  went  on  shore 
to  report  at  the  custom-house.  It  was  some  time  be 
fore  I  could  make  them  comprehend  that  we  were  from 
Florida,  and  anxious  to  land.  Their  astonishment  was 
great  at  the  size  of  our  boat,  and  they  could  hardly  be 
lieve  we  had  crossed  in  it.  Our  arrival  produced  as 
much  sensation  as  would  that  of  a  liner.  We  might 
have  been  filibusters  in  disguise.  The  governor-gen 
eral  had  to  be  telegraphed  to ;  numerous  papers  were 
made  out  and  signed ;  a  register  was  made  out  for  the 
sloop  No  Name;  then  we  had  to  make  a  visit  to  the 
governor  before  we  were  allowed  to  go  to  a  hotel  to 
get  something  to  eat.  After  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  light 
meal  I  had  a  warm  bath,  and  donned  some  clean  linen 
which  our  friends  provided. 

We  were  overwhelmed  with  attentions,  and  when 
the  governor-general  telegraphed  that  General  Breck- 
inridge  was  to  be  treated  as  one  holding  his  position 
and  rank,  the  officials  became  as  obsequious  as  they 
had  been  overbearing  and  suspicious.  The  next  day 
one  of  the  governor-general's  aides-de-camp  arrived 


338       ADVENTURES  AND   ESCAPES  IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 

from  Havana,  with  an  invitation  for  the  general  and 
the  party  to  visit  him,  which  we  accepted,  and  after 
two  days'  rest  took  the  train  for  the  capital.  A 
special  car  was  placed  at  our  disposal,  and  on  our 
arrival  the  general  was  received  with  all  the  honors. 
We  were  driven  to  the  palace,  had  a  long  interview, 
and  dined  with  Governor-General  Concha.  The  tran 
sition  from  a  small  open  boat  at  sea,  naked  and  starv 
ing,  to  the  luxuries  and  comforts  of  civilized  life 
was  as  sudden  as  it  was  welcome  and  thoroughly 
appreciated. 

At  Havana  our  party  separated.  General  Breckin- 
ridge  and  Colonel  Wilson  have  since  crossed  the  great 
river;  Russell  and  O'Toole  returned  to  Florida.  I 
should  be  glad  to  know  what  has  become  of  faithful 
Tom. 


RETURN 

TO—  -* 

LOAN  PERIOD  1 

ffl/^n 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 


DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


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iNTERiT-: 

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REC 

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MAR  t 

2  1995 

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FEB  2  1  1935 

(VkM°\ 

J 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 
FORM  NO.  DDO,  5m,  477  BERKELEY,  CA  94720 


MAR  8    1977 


LD  21-100m-12,'43  (8796s) 


